A/N: Hello readers! Week 9 was so long I had to split it into three parts! There will be two more chapters after this, then on to Move Your Eyes Six Inches Up. Enjoy! And your welcome for the early update, school is canceled for today and tomorrow will be busy...so today is unusual! Expect all other updates to be for Saturdays!
Week 9 Part 1: Monday-Wednesday (mostly)
Hermione sat in the living room eating breakfast, legs propped up on the replacement coffee table, watching some odd sort of show she had randomly found. Draco had been on that bloody phone since he woke up, and she hasn't been able to get a word in.
It was December 20. There was snow all over outside and the temperatures were bitter. Yet people ventured outside anyways for holiday shopping and activities to welcome the holiday. Hermione felt a distant throb in her chest as she watched her show.
By now she would've at least sent her parents a Christmas card. If she had been with Krum, they would've gone over within the next few days as well as on Christmas itself to celebrate with her family (an activity she had only experienced once with him). Ron, would've at first been happy to go with her to see her family, before or after spending enormous amounts of time with his. The person he had grown into though would've been afraid and overly paranoid (or abusive maybe) and not let her go see them at all, and would barely allow a Christmas card. Flint would've allowed her to have no contact through the holiday whatsoever, or really at all with them, and it was during that marriage that Hermione felt most alone.
She wanted to get in contact with her parents, and at least wish them a Merry Christmas and tell them the good news about Flint and her upcoming divorce.
"You look rather depressing." She glanced up as Draco wandered into the room without a phone connected to his face. He gave her a smile, but it didn't touch his eyes. He looked tired, like last night had offered no sleep at all.
"Just thinking," she replied simply.
"About? You don't have to keep things from me." He sat beside her and rested his arm across her shoulders. "And you do look rather sad for this time of year." And not remembering what that damned dream was.
"I know." Yet you keep secrets from me.
"Then what is it?"
She sighed. "May I use your phone?"
He raised an eyebrow. "For?"
She chewed the last bite of her food, before setting the plate next to her glass on the coffee table and folding her legs under her. "I would like to call my parents, you know, wish them a happy holidays and such. I haven't been able to properly wish them anything in a long time."
He almost smiled, but re-framed. "Of course." He produced the phone and stood. "I'll leave you alone." Draco turned to go back into the room, picking up her discarded book on the way.
"Wait," she called after him. He turned back, noticing her biting her bottom lip, and even in his exhausted state he couldn't help thinking it was so damn cute...and teasing.
"Yes?"
"I-I haven't talked to my parents in almost two years," she said, spilling out words rather quickly. "While I was with Flint, he didn't really allow the family contact and sent useless cards with absolutely no meaning to my parents so they knew I was still alive. They haven't heard from me in so long...please don't go-"
"Breathe," he interjected, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Hyperventilating on the sofa wont help matters either." He walked back to the couch and sat down, relaxing the best he could. "I don't see how me being here will help you with a phone call, but whatever makes you feel better." He beckoned to the phone.
She gave him a faint smile. "It makes me feel less alone." She scooted slightly closer and relaxed against him, hating herself for seeming so scared of the call. It was a phone call! They wouldn't be able to see her, or Draco, and she wouldn't see them.
The phone rang. Again. Three times...
"Hello?" An older males voice picked up the phone, sounding irritated and half awake.
"Dad," Hermione squeaked, surprised how he sounded the exact same as the last time she had seen him, just under two years ago.
"Hermione," he mumbled, sounding much more awake then before. "Is that you?"
"Hi dad," she said again, her voice choking. Between divorcing Krum, getting picked up by Marcus, working at Hogwarts for long hours, and keeping herself together, not to mention getting away from Marcus and to Draco's, she hadn't had time in between to settle down and make this call, a fact she deeply regretted. A single tear rolled down her face at the realization that this truly was her father, speaking to her through the phone. Draco noticed the liquid running down her face and pulled her closer to him, his eyebrows drawing together, and she didn't push him away.
"Goodness Hermione," he said, "where have you been? No calls, no message on the Christmas cards! And so few of those! We haven't heard anything from you in forever!"
"I know," Hermione said, rubbing her temples. "I've been dealing with some things...they've kept me away for a long time-"
"Dealing with things," her father asked angrily. "I believe this is the second husband in the last what? Two years? Whatever happened to that nice-"
There was a voice in the background that cut off his sentence, and Hermione heard shuffling as the phone was transferred over to a woman's voice. "Hermione?"
"Mom!" Hermione let another tear or two slip, and Draco pulled her even closer, muting the television. "I missed you."
"We missed you too honey." Her mom sounded happy, but Hermione could hear the distant undertone of fear. "Are you still with that Flint fellow? I don't like him, never did. Didn't like the rushed marriage or that he kept you away or that-"
"I'm not," Hermione cut in, glancing at Draco. "I have no need to be with him. I found someone else. He's been taking care of me." It wasn't a lie, not really.
"Another man?" Her mother sounded horrified. "Hermione, don't tell me you're-"
"No mom, no, we're not married." She glanced at Draco. "We just started seeing each other." Draco, was openly staring at her now, one eyebrow raised up in an unspoken question, yet a smirk played at his lips.
"Do we get to meet this one before you tie anything? Hermione, you've been with so many men and gotten married so quickly-"
"I know mom, I know." She sighed. "Its not going to be that way anymore."
"Do we get to see you? You've been so distant dear."
"Yes, of course! I'd love to come see you and dad!"
"Christmas eve? You can bring the boy with if he can make it."
She bit her lip. "I'm attending a ball for work Christmas eve. Can I come see you sometime Christmas day? I'll bring him with if he wants to come."
"Please do! We miss having you here Hermione." She was quiet for a moment, and her voice grew softer. "We haven't had a party here in two years, it isn't the same. Its too late now to plan one, and I'm sure a party would be too much for this new boy anyways. You're taking things slow right?"
"Yes mom," Hermione said, fearing this conversation would spin down a path she didn't yet want to step on. "I'll ask him about everything and get back to you before Wednesday night, okay?"
"Okay honey, but I better go. We were about to do some last minute shopping, and we have to pick up things for you two! What kinds of things does this boy like?"
Hermione chuckled, before realizing she wasn't quite sure what Draco liked. She glanced at him, but he was studying her legs instead of her face at this point. "Interesting things. I've got to go mother, busy plans! I'll come visit soon."
"Ok darling, we'll talk Wednesday. Its just so good to hear from you."
"Agreed. Bye mom. I love you."
"I love you too honey, bye." Hermione heard the click and flipped Draco's phone shut, suddenly feeling very heavy.
"I heard my name in there several times," he mused, looking back at her face.
"My parents...it was a distant conversation," she replied. "I haven't been in contact with them...we didn't talk about much of anything, just if I was married or not-"
"You are technically," he growled, remembering that Hermione and Flint's divorce was not yet final. "Yet you lied."
"Its not like I proudly display his ring," Hermione countered. "Besides, I'm focused on you."
Draco raised an eyebrow, taking his phone away and turning her body more towards himself. "And why is that," he purred (that is, if Malfoy's can purr).
"Well Draco," she said, suddenly not sure if she wanted to have this conversation at that moment. "We've-well, you and I, we-"
"Hmm, it seems I can often render you speechless." He smiled, not his typical smirk she had grown accustomed to but a genuine smile that made her heartbeat increase drastically. "Trying to introduce me to your parents would mean this is a relationship beyond the physical need to be pleasured." He bent closer, his hot breath on her face. "I wasn't entirely sure you wanted that, yet you sound completely confident when speaking to your mother that that's where this relationship is going."
Hermione's cheeks took on a vague pink color. "Well...I would hope so."
He was enjoying this now, congratulating himself on the inside as he began to speak. Ravishing Hermione Granger was one amazing fête, having gotten her to maybe see that openly dating him wasn't horrible was something he had been considering a very long process indeed. "And why is that, Miss Granger?"
There was something very arousing about her hearing him talk to her using...that name that made her tingle down below. "Well, I hoped I hadn't lost my innocence to someone who only wished to shag."
"Then what," he breathed, "gave you the idea that losing it to me in the first place was a good idea, if you didn't know my intentions past that?" He gently kissed her jaw, avoiding her tempting lips.
She considered. "I've heard from numerous people, that you fancy me. And some of your relatively protective actions gave me the idea that perhaps I was more then a toy."
He pulled back from her, his eyebrows wrinkled together. "You were never a toy."
She tilted her head to the side. "At first I was, and you know it. When I first came here, you had your eyes set on one thing-"
"Before I really knew about you," he replied, running a hand through his hair, never taking his eyes away from hers. "Before I knew you were virgin, before I knew about your history since the war, before I really got to know you."
"You knew me at Hogwarts," she snapped bitterly, not sure whether to believe him or not. "As a Mud-"
"Shh," he said, covering her mouth with his hand. He pulled her close. "Don't think about the past, it often causes more pain then its worth. Please Hermione, you have to know I don't see you that way anymore." He almost sounded like he was...begging.
She sighed and relaxed into him. "I know," she muttered. "Its simply difficult to believe you want something past the...shagging."
You have no idea Granger. "Of course I do." He smoothed her hair, to the best of its ability. This morning, it wasn't the calm waves he had become accustomed to but a mass of curls, just like at Hogwarts. He found (to his surprise) he liked the original better then the smoothed out copy. "I wouldn't have spent so much time trying to help you if I intended to throw you to the side when I was done."
She pushed him back. "And how do I know that?"
Look in my bedside drawer. Instead of speaking that thought aloud, he reached down and grabbed her hand, bringing it to his lips and kissing it. "We can start with you introducing me to your parents, and maybe in time you'll believe me."
She stared at him. "You're really up to that?"
He shrugged. "If it will finally prove to you that I care for you beyond the physical form." He brushed her hair behind her ear.
Hermione looked hesitant. "They wont like you very much...it'll be uncomfortable. I haven't gotten to speak to my parents in-"
"Two years, yes. I gathered that from the conversation. And no Hermione, I don't expect them to like me right away." He shrugged. "I've grow accustomed to people not liking me."
"That's not the point. The three of us alone will be uncomfortable, and I could never tell my parents how my relationship with Flint went. I will have to leave out details, deceive them..."
"Or tell the truth," Draco chimed in.
She stared at him, horrified. "I could never do that! The very idea makes me afraid! My parents spent their lives making sure I had enough of a head on my shoulders to avoid that and...and...I've been with two men just like that!"
Her calm appearance suddenly fell to pieces, and Draco caught her as she crumbled against him, crying very quietly. There's something out of the ordinary.
In the time she had spent at his apartment, she cried seldom unless something truly affected her. He rested his head on hers. Her parents opinion of her seemed very important to her, just as his parents of him had once been, before he stopped caring and had to continue in life after their departure from his.
"Don't cry," he mused. "There's no need. We've simply pushed the boundaries of what we can talk about up to this point. If you think its better to lie to your parents, fine, but I will do little to assist you in the matter."
"And why is that," she muttered into his shirt.
"I've done enough lying for a lifetime."
She chuckled and looked up at him. "That I believe."
He raised an eyebrow. "Yet convincing you that I want more then a physical relationship with you is near impossible?"
She looked up and him and smiled faintly. "Its...hard to consider. I'm tired of dragging my heart around over men, especially ones I don't like in the first place."
That stung a bit, and he bit back a cruel retort that would've saved his dignity, had it been someone besides her. "Am I one of them?"
She didn't speak for a long time. "I don't think so." Then she smiled again. "I think my parents may like you more then Krum though, and definitely Flint, considering they only met him once..." Her voice trailed off.
"Why's that?"
"We never smiled at each other." She leaned away and reached for her drink, grabbing the remote while she was at it and turning the TV volume back on. "At least I smile at you."
He shrugged. "Its a start." He stood, rubbing his temples. "We best get a move on then."
She looked up at him, narrowing her eyes. "For what? We're not visiting my parents today."
"Of course not, and as far as that goes, I'd much rather wait until Sunday or Monday to deal with relatives. Something tells me Christmas Eve is going to tire me out."
"What makes you say that?"
He smirked. "A suspicion. Come on, get moving. We apparently have many shops to hit."
Draco was extremely pleased to have Hermione dragging him all over the Muggle mall later on, not because he enjoyed shopping to any extreme but because she wanted him by her side, and not for protection. Flint was not there, Draco was certain. He wouldn't bother venturing there, just as Draco typically wouldn't.
Muggle malls were not his thing; there were way to many shops with things like his cell phone and far to many people carrying far too many huge bags. Hermione made him go through several shops for home décor, saying her mom loved to have strange pieces to decorate the house. He nodded when appropriate, although nothing they were looking at truly interested him.
Besides, his mind was scattered over numerous topics, all of them having nothing to do with where they were.
There was the Ball coming up, which he had everything planned, except he hadn't told Hermione yet about it. She would play her part, by being the object of desire, but nothing more. He refused to put her in anymore danger then that, and this alone was really pushing it. Besides, he would never be leaving her side, so whatever posed a threat to her would simply have to get through him first. And that would certainly not be easy.
There was the fact that he had just set himself up for a day of uncomfortable talk with Hermione's parents, whom she had only mentioned once before while they talked aimlessly about something one morning. Now he had to deal with these people who were certainly not looking forward to meeting him. If Hermione had been married twice already, without her parents hardly getting to meet the man at all (before or after the marriage, which was probably worse after) and here he was, ready to come meet the parents. They could only have one assumption, and although he planned to go forward with that at some point, he was in no rush for several more months, before popping the question and hitting his deadline.
Hermione's dream also plagued him; the one she could seemingly not remember to save her life. He was willing to bet Flint had something to do with that, although he didn't try and figure out what images he could've sent her to cause those screams...the thought alone made him want to rip the bastard apart.
Then, there was the fact that Hermione had doubted he wanted anything real with her. That he was simply enjoying the sex. He wouldn't lie, the sex was amazing, but not what he was entirely after. He had much bigger, longer dreams and hopes for him and Hermione then shagging. If he could make her believe he wanted her, in all aspects, then dealing with her parents was a small sacrifice for the entire package.
He was staring off in the opposite direction of her at this point, when Hermione began tugging tightly on his wrist. He snapped his head around to her, just in time to see-
"Hermione," Viktor Krum said, walking up to her with a grim on his face that didn't meet his eyes. "Fancy meeting you here."
Draco pulled her into him, speaking before she could. "Interesting finding you at a Muggle mall, Krum."
"As with you Malfoy," Krum replied, looking up at him with little interest. "Didn't know you two were such good friends." He narrowed his eyes.
"We are close," Draco said simply, making his hold more intimate by playing with the skin of her neck using his thumb. "Close as two can ever be." He smirked, watching as Krum took in the meaning behind his words. Hermione's hand, which had been lightly resting on his hip, added much more pressure then needed as he spoke, and he was certain it wasn't because of lust. He dipped his head for a brief moment and kissed her naked neck.
"Is that so?" Krum tilted his head, looking directly at Hermione. "You would put out for the likes of him," he sneered.
"I'd watch your tone," Draco replied, something edging into his voice. "She's not at your mercy anymore."
"Never was," he muttered.
"Ah yes, you were just the neglector."
"Never neglected," Krum said again, waving his hand as though he could brush off Draco's words, although he seemed a bit confused. "Hermione never wanted to go where I wanted to is all."
Draco shrugged, not interested in getting into a heated talk with Krum at that time. He smirked, nodding his head in as a form of saying goodbye. "Its suites me perfectly fine. You did leave her in perfect condition for me."
Krum's face turned about as red as Hermione's, who looked at him, appalled. The man across from them looked about to punch Draco square in the face, who pushed Hermione from him as he watched his eyes. Instead, he turned and stormed away like a coward who couldn't back his actions, and Draco gave a triumphant smile, which Hermione ruined by snapping-
"Draco!"
He looked at her, eyebrow raised before refocusing his attention to the retreating boy. "Oh, Krum? Will we see you at the Ball this Christmas Eve," he called.
He received a quick turn back, with dark eyes that darted between the two, before the angered man balled up his hands and turned away again.
Draco smirked. Having the chance to get under Krum's skin made the entire shopping experience all the more enjoyable, although he was sure Hermione would start screaming at him soon. Having seen Krum turn at the mention of the Ball, Draco was sure he would be seeing the man there. Even though his plan didn't really involve Krum (he had no reason to spend the extra time to try incorporating him into it, since all he had done was ignore her) it would bring him great joy to see the look on his face when Hermione paraded in on his arm.
He looked back at Hermione, who had now got a firm hold on his wrist. "Do you have anything else you need to buy?"
"I'm quite done for today," she snapped. "I'm going home."
He shrugged. "Sounds perfect." Fuck...I get to deal with a pissed off Granger all night. This is something I'll never look forward to.
Hermione yelled at Draco for twenty minutes for being so rude to her ex, until she realized he had a counter reply to everything she said. Huffing, she fell into silence for two hours, until Draco brought her dinner in bed and softened her up, even drawing a smile.
They relaxed into a deep sleep, until Draco found himself awoken again by her screams.
This time he ignored trying to call her name, and went directly to trying to soothe her, make her calm down enough to awaken, or at least fall out of the nightmare. He wondered vaguely in the back of his mind if she would again forget what happened when he woke her up. He was prepared for it.
A few minutes later, she calmed, and he sighed. She hadn't woken up, just like last night. He had no desire to pull her from her now peaceful sleep and get that same, concerned and curious look from her again. Her blank expression from the previous night was clear enough in his head that he didn't need the reminder.
Standing, he looked at her. She seemed so at ease, like the unknown nightmares didn't really exist. However she wasn't remembering, he wished he had the same damned luck.
Maybe that was the point...for him to remember her in pain.
He walked to his bookcase, picking up his wand and casting a simple charm on Hermione, to simply allow pleasant dreams and a long sleep. Not terribly powerful, and could be broken just the same as anyone sleeping without the spell, but so long as he was quiet, she wouldn't even notice.
He pulled the mysterious book from the shelf, the piece of furniture sliding out of the way to allow him entrance to the room. As it slid he cast a silencing spell, to make sure the movement didn't disturb her. Once inside, he flicked his wand and the bookcase returned to his place. Using the common spell, he lit his wand and cast one last silencing spell, knowing full well Muggle walls tended to be thin.
"Draco," Narcissa Malfoy cried upon seeing her son appear in the room. "How good it is to see you!"
"Mother, father," he replied curtly, glancing between the main pictures, the dominate ones in his hidden space.
"Draco," his father snapped. "Do you care to explain yourself?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Explain what, father?"
He sneered. "Why that filthy Mudblood was in here a few weeks ago!"
His face paled. "Who?" There was no way he was throwing a name out before his father said it. He couldn't have recognized her, he couldn't.
"That little Granger girl, Potter's friend. Your slut."
His temper flared. "I don't think you have much of a right to decide any category for anyone to be in, since your rotting away in Azkaban as we speak."
"Please," Narcissa Malfoy cut in, "Must we argue? Draco, you don't come in here often recently, and I'd much prefer we hold a civil talk."
"Please," Bellatrix grumbled from beside her sister, the fourth picture remaining silent. "I congratulate Draco, simply for not exploding at his father about the slut comment, although from what we saw, that is what she looked like."
Draco had nearly forgotten his Aunt could join the conversation, and focused in on her. "And what is it you witnessed, Aunt Bellatrix?"
She laughed in a way only she could. "The girl wandered in here in nothing but her undergarments! I doubt she had any idea what she would be finding. Lucius' only comment was that she would be good for only one thing, and he hoped you hadn't lowered yourself to letting her touch you."
"What I do with the women in my house really isn't of anyone else's concern." Draco looked pointedly at his father. "And I'd much prefer my father kept his eyes focused elsewhere on my women's bodies."
"There are more," Lucius said, glaring at his son. "I would sincerely hope you are able to find some with better blood."
Draco rolled his eyes. "Hardly. There is only one as of right now, and if there are others in the future, it would be a future without her."
"You're rather defensive," Bellatrix noted lamely, her voice dead of emotion.
"As I said, I will choose whom I bed and whom I decide to spend my time with by myself." He looked directly at his father again. "You lost the right to decide for me a long time ago, when you tried to push me beyond my limits."
"Dumbledore I presume?"
Draco gritted his teeth. "I could never have killed the old man, no matter if I wanted to or not. I didn't have it in me, and you knew that from the beginning."
"Draco," Narcissa cautioned.
"You thought that by pushing me you would be more favorable in Voldemort's eyes," Draco continued, ignoring his mother. "That came crashing down on you didn't it?"
"You will not speak to me this way!" His father's eyes had grown dangerous.
"And you will do what? Disinherit me? You're rotting away in Azkaban father, and if I had any brains I would sever your link to this room right now before it gets me into trouble. I can't believe I've wasted so much of my time talking to you as it is."
"Need I remind you its my money your coasting off of? My name-"
"A name you tarnished by being so blatantly stupid during my school years."
Lucius sneered, staring at his son. "Do you think being around that Mudblood slut will offer you any good fortune among your peers? They still see you as the coward from the war!"
"At least I have a life," Draco responded. "While you waste away in a cell."
"Azkaban is horrid Draco," Bellatrix interjected again. "It does things to a person that can never be undone."
"I know Aunt Bella, I've seen it since I was a child." He directed his attention back to his father. "I am no longer concerned about what you think of me, since you will never even see me in person again. I refuse to come to Azkaban and waste my time to honor your final wish. I have no reason to spend my time in that rotten place, and even less now that I know you openly disagree with a girl I have my sights on."
"A Mudblood Draco-"
"Blood stature is irrelevant anymore. I don't attend Hogwarts, so there are no house barriers, no idiocy telling me a Slytherin and a Gryffindor can never be together. I outgrew that father. In this day and age, so many Purebloods have died because of that war, that the Pureblood lines are mostly tarnished as it is. People have grown past those prejustices father; not everyone and not everyone to the same degree, but the world is changing and the thoughts of my past father's will not influence my choices in whom I date or whom I marry."
"You plan to marry this girl," Lucius asked, floored.
"In time, I would like to. She's different from the idiot girls of my past, and she can rival them all in any way. I no longer live by your dead rules, father."
"You will not speak to me this way!"
"Considering I am now in control of everything concerning the Malfoy business, should I decide to use that as my main field of work, to the Manor to the name, I will speak how I please. I may have been a coward during the war father, but I was also a stupid child. You however, were an arrogant man who fell to far from the top, and will never be able to redeem himself. I will do whatever I wish with her, if I so choose, and you will not lecture me about my poor decisions, when you yourself have made so very many." He turned his attention to the two women on his walls, their pictures immaculate. "Mother, Aunt Bella." He nodded to each, before turning on his heel and leaving. Whatever he had been prepared to speak with them about would never happen now.
He flicked his wand to move the bookcase again, before glancing back. "And father? If you are to ever come across Hermione again, I hope for your own safety that you look nowhere else but her face, and if I hear otherwise, then you may find your cell in Azkaban to suddenly become even more unpleasant." He stepped out and moved the bookcase back into place, not waiting for his father's response.
Hermione's brows were drawn together he noticed, and she was facing towards him when he looked over at her. However, she still seemed to remain asleep.
He felt very drained from the conversation with his father; having it be the cruel reminder that not everyone had yet grown past the issue of Blood, and that he would probably be defending her from many more people before it was accepted that they were together. He would be taunted for lowering himself so, by several people, but she would be ridiculed for simply being who she is.
He wanted to hold her very badly.
He walked quickly to the bed and dropped his wand, not even caring that it hit the floor instead of the table. He pushed back the sheets and settled in, dragging Hermione's body over to him and laying her in his lap the moment he was comfortable. He hardly cared if he woke her up, so long as he could hold her close and kiss her face.
"Draco?" She rubbed her eyes, and he instantly turned the light on next to them so he could see her features. She rubbed the sleep from her eyes, then squeezed them shut at the unwelcome light. He didn't care really, he was happy to see her.
He kissed her full on the lips before speaking. "Good morning, although I admit its rather early."
She rolled her eyes. "Is there a reason you've resituated me across your lap?"
He smiled, one that touched every feature about him. "I just wanted you close to me." He hugged her, pressing her firmly into his chest.
"Is anything wrong?" She didn't pull away, enjoying the feeling of being pressed against him far too much for that.
He shook his head. "No, I'm just enjoying you."
The next time Hermione woke up, it was nearly nine. She had a bitter taste in her mouth, and it was all because of a name; Ginny Weasley.
After being ravished by Draco last night, she had fallen into a comfortable sleep. She couldn't come up with a reason why Ginny's name was what had come to her mind first thing, but it did and she didn't like it.
What did she dream about last night after falling asleep again anyways? What did she dream about last night...at all? Trying to remember gave her a headache and she rolled over to wake up Draco.
Several minutes later, he was demanding she finally show him this "perfect" dress. After retrieving it from the closet, he examined it with a critical eye.
"At least Blaise listened," he muttered.
"Listened about what?"
Draco shrugged. "Blaise likes his women to have...plummeting necklines. I on the other hand, do not and setting Blaise up in this department had me worried."
"I would never buy anything like that. I don't like being stared at only because you can see my entire cleavage."
Draco laughed. "That sounds very Hermione like, and I'm very happy to hear that."
She raised an eyebrow. "I always saw you as the type of man who enjoyed seeing women in almost nothing. After all, I do remember you telling me before about all your wasted nights at the bars, finding yourself someone easy."
He waved his hand. "They were women whom I didn't care in the least bit about, since they didn't seem to care much about themselves. You on the other hand, I would much prefer look strikingly beautiful instead of surprisingly cheap."
"Have I ever looked cheap?"
His eyes darkened, remembering his talk with his father the previous night. "Never, not to me." He picked up the dress. "There is one alteration I would like though..."
"To make it shorter?"
He chuckled. "No, I don't want to chase men off all night." He flicked his wand, the pale blue grew growing darker and changing color, until Hermione found herself staring without surprise at the Slytherin Green color Draco had sported for years.
"Must it be green?"
He laughed it held it out to her to examine in front of his mirror. He came up behind her as she looked and breathed on her neck. "I think green makes you look delicious."
Hermione raised an eyebrow. She simply thought it made the dress more seductive. "Why can't it be red? I'm much more comfortable with red."
"Oh I don't doubt that," he growled. "And I love red on a woman, but on Friday I think it would be very teasing to watch you parade around like this all night." He tapped the necklace as he spoke. "Besides, its a Christmas Ball. You will fit in beautifully."
She laughed. "Very well. I can wear green for one night, if it will bother you so very much."
"Excellent," he growled, just as they heard the irritating sound of his phone vibrating. He sighed, bit into her neck once, just enough to emit a moan before leaving her and answering his call.
"Your timing could not be worse Blaise. I was in the middle of something with Hermione."
"If you were really in the middle of something, you wouldn't have stopped to answer my call. I know you better then that."
"And you're even worse then me. What is the nature of this call?"
"Theo just finished speaking with McGonagall. She still works at the school! Anyways, we received her approval and she will assist us on Friday if need be."
"How did you convince her of that?"
"I used Harry. He is helpful at times. Got him to call in early yesterday and convince McGonagall that this isn't illegal. And once we explained a few...vague details on the situation-much like you have been to us-she agreed. Now we await Harry's answer from the Minister."
"If Flint is in as much trouble as I have heard, approval shouldn't be hard to come by."
"True," he agreed. "You know this is a lot of work for all of us Draco."
He rolled his eyes. "I will pay you for your time if that's what you want. I'll send you some nice slutty girl, I'll send Theo Pansy, and Potter...I'll knock on his office door before entering."
"What?"
Draco chuckled. "Nothing. I will see you Friday."
"And I will call you with final details Thursdays."
"Ah, good. See you Friday."
"Farewell you twit."
He sighed. "Goodbye Zabini."
The rest of the day passed by quickly, and before Hermione was ready for the day to end, she found herself changing back into Draco's big t-shirt, crawling into the bed and yawning. She snuggled in beside Draco, feeling a bit uneasy, a fact that didn't go unnoticed by him.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing's wrong."
He shook his head and rolled her on her back, so he could look into her eyes. "You're terrible at lying to me Hermione."
She looked away from his intense stare. "Really, its nothing."
He followed her gaze, and saw that it rested on her newly green dress. "Its the Ball isn't it?"
"Of course not!"
"You're still not good at lying."
She sighed, and adverted her eyes to the ceiling. "Of course its the Ball Draco!"
He sat up, stretching his legs. "Talk to me. What about the Ball?"
"Its..." She looked at him, then away. "The people..."
"Hermione," he said gently, touching her hair. "Its that your ex's may be there. Your husband-"
"Don't call him that! Please..."
"I wont then," Draco said simply. "Its not exactly something I find pleasant either."
"Thank you," she said quietly.
"Hermione," he said, grabbing her chin and turning her to look at him. "Don't worry about them being there. I will be at your side at all times. No one is going to do anything to you, I swear."
"And if you have to go talk to Blaise, or Harry, or Theo-"
"Then Theo or Harry or Blaise will stay by your side, although I have no reason to speak to them when I want to be with you all night."
"To protect me," she said sourly.
"Is it bad that I want to keep them away from you?"
"No," she said, trying to twist out of his grip. "Just that you will not leave at all only because you're protecting me. Who's to say at other parties you wouldn't leave me side?"
He smirked. "You think there will be other parties?"
"You're missing the point!"
He sighed, grabbing her face with both hands. "Hermione, listen. I am not staying by your side all night simply to protect you, I'm staying because I want to. I want everyone to know you came as my date, I want everyone to know you chose me. I want to introduce you to people and I want to spend my night with you against me."
She softly smiled. "You sound like such a romantic."
He grinned. "I've only become this way since meeting you."
Her smile widened. "I'll take that as a compliment, so long as you don't become a lovesick idiot."
"Trust me, I'll still have a stiff hand in this relationship even if I'm lovesick. Malfoy's are never droopy."
She laughed. "No, of course not."
He sobered, looking at her seriously now. "Don't be worried about Friday night, okay? I've taken care of a few things. Flint, Weasley, Krum...they're not going to touch you."
She looked at him sternly. "What kinds of things did you take care of?"
He leaned over and kissed her forehead. "Don't worry about that, its complicated. But I swear, on Friday everything I've been doing will make sense." She gave him a rather skeptical look.
Wednesday the 22 Hermione woke up, actually remembering her dreams. And even more surprisingly, Draco was asleep next to her for once, instead of off doing something like he always seemed to.
She sat and stretched, noticing the cool feel of Draco's gift against her skin, beneath the t-shirt. She pulled it from beneath the fabric by the chain and examined it closely. The necklace had some sort of writing on the charm, but it was in a language Hermione certainly was not familiar enough with to read. She reached out and lightly touched it.
His hand snatched out and grabbed her arm, startling her. "What's wrong?"
She dropped the necklace, feeling it fall back against the shirt. "Nothing. I'm sorry I woke you." She touched his face.
"Why did you press on the medallion then?" He rubbed sleep from his eyes.
"I was just looking at it is all." She noticed the skeptical look in his eye. "Nothing's wrong!"
He yawned. "Fine, I'll believe you. But I must ask you to stop worrying so much about that necklace, at least until after this week? I have enough on my mind."
"But this happens to be on mine."
He smiled, leaned down and kissed her. "I know, and I swear, I will tell you, soon."
She kissed him back, biting his lower lip. "Can I persuade you into telling me?"
He laughed and pulled back, stepping out of bed. "I fear you could, which is why I feel I need to depart for my shower now." He glanced at the clock. "Merlin, is it eleven already?"
Hermione received a call around one on Draco's phone, and was completely surprised to find it to be Ginny Weasley. She answered, but Draco remained at her side. As Ginny spoke to Hermione, Draco talked as well.
"If she gets suspicious, tries to put you on with anyone else, you come get me immediately. No reason for you to have to deal with anymore."
There were many things Hermione wanted to say in response, but couldn't do so with Ginny talking on the other line. She zoned Draco out as she listened to the rambling girl just as the doorbell rang.
Draco answered it, pleased to find Theo. "I didn't know if you were coming."
"Got held up at the bookshop. Somehow I seemed to be the only one capable of moving anything...but maybe that's because I used magic to do it all."
Draco raised an eyebrow. "Cheater."
"You're no better." He noticed Hermione on the couch. "You may consider moving her before I start bringing things out."
Draco didn't really like sending Hermione off on that call, but he had a feeling it was for the better. He wanted his surprise, and she would just be in the other room for a few minutes. He turned back to Hermione and placed a light hand on her shoulder as he approached.
"Can you go into the bedroom for a few minutes to make your call? I have something to discuss with Theo." She glared at him. "If there's an issue, press the medallion and I will be there in a heartbeat."
She nodded, clearly annoyed but unable to speak as she responded to Ginny. "That's ridiculous!" She stood and headed to the room. "Honestly, how could you-" The door shut, cutting off Draco's knowledge of the conversation.
Theo gave him an odd look. "For being so fiery, she seems rather obedient with you."
Draco shrugged. "Only this morning. We usually disagree on many things."
Theo nodded pulling several items from his bag and setting them in Draco's hand. They were books. "I meant to come at noon, but work wouldn't let me go."
"You already explained that."
"Indeed. Just trying to make conversation." He looked at Draco. "Potter called back yet?"
"No, but the Weaselette is bothering Hermione right now."
"Ah, explains her lack of interest in the phone call."
"Exactly. Have you found a date yet?"
Theo nodded, not looking extremely excited. "Cho Chang."
Draco laughed. "Whatever made you decide upon her? I admit, she has a pretty body, but you're not going to get anything from that for hours. That's hours wasted talking to the girl before you get any."
Theo frowned. "At least I'm not Blaise. I'd never make it."
Draco smirked. "Very true. And who has he found for the event?
Theo joined Draco in his smirk. "Daphne Greengrass."
"At least he'll enjoy himself at the end of the night."
Theo laughed. "I'm sure that's the reason he chose her in the first place. Have you heard from Pansy recently?"
Draco wrinkled his brow. "Not for several weeks, why?"
Theo shrugged. "Neither has Daphne, and we both know those girls were rather close during school. Even now, I see them together wandering through shops in Diagon Alley, or hear things from a gossipy wizard about their shopping trips here and there."
"Theo, you're a gossip."
He grinned. "I try."
"See, there's the-"
A loud scream came from Draco's room, and he felt the presence of anger in her voice. He glanced at Theo. "I will have to ask you to leave now," he said, already headed for the room.
"Of course. I don't want to be caught up in that. Good luck Draco." He heard the door open and close as he flung the door to the bedroom open.
Hermione's eyes were livid as she listened to the witch on the other side of the phone, and didn't put up a fight when Draco plucked it from her hand. Instead, she turned and blew up his lamp, which rather surprised Draco.
"-but I can't tell him, else Pansy will surely-"
"Ginny," he said firmly, grabbing Hermione's arm before she blew up his clock and pulled her to him. "Whatever Pansy is doing I suggest you talk with me at the Ball, and stop bothering Hermione with whatever this conversation concerns."
There was a small pause. "I...Malfoy! I was having an extremely important conversation with Hermione over there!"
"Yes, and because I let that happen my lamp has suffered greatly. I don't see any reason to let this conversation go on to destroy the rest of my room. Its time to say goodbye."
"I really need to speak with Hermione."
"Strangling, most of the people who call here say that. I think I'll be changing my number soon." Hermione gave him an odd look. "Oh but Ginny?"
"Yes?" She sounded surprised by the use of her first name coming from him. "Now what?"
He smirked. "The next time you stop by the apartment, you should really try coming in."
The line cut dead.
Hermione made a call to her mom about an hour later, declaring that she and Draco would come visit the Monday following Christmas. Her mother was deeply upset that she wouldn't be around for the holiday, but Hermione couldn't convince Draco of an earlier date. With the call done, she stared at him on the couch.
"Please don't kill her."
"Ah, Granger," he said through gritted teeth, "I have every right to kill many people at this point, but I'll assure you now I'll restrain from doing so."
"She didn't mean nay harm, I'm sure."
"Hardly," Draco snapped. "Your judgment is clouded by the years you've spent with Ginny Weasley as a friend. She was too cowardly to try to tell Potter about what was going on, and has been doing nothing good for months. For helping Flint get into this house, and allowing him to use those spells on you should be enough to send her to Azkaban."
"Ginny is not a bad person; nor is Ron."
He jumped to his feet. "Have you gone mad!"
"I-Draco, really, let's talk."
He threw his hands up. "No, you seem to believe what you want based on your past." He headed to his room. "Leave me alone for a bit, please." The door slammed shut the moment he finished speaking.
Hermione sighed, picking up a pillow and hugging it tightly to her. After explaining the phone call to Draco, he had not calmed down.
Ginny had certainly been outside the apartment several weeks ago, when Marcus had come in. She had been helping him, and Hermione was unsure at this point if she really knew his intentions or not. Hermione and Ginny had always been close, strained but close even after she and Ron broke up. But she had never told her redhead friend about what Marcus did to her (because she couldn't) and she had yet to see how Ginny would know what he was up to. She doubted Ginny would help Marcus if she knew the details.
Draco on the other hand, did not. He believed Ginny would help Marcus anyways, simply because the reasoning still suited her.
Ginny had vaguely told Hermione (or at least, from what Hermione could gather from Ginny's horribly fast explanation) that Pansy had developed a thing for Harry (which Hermione truly had a difficult time believing) and Marcus had told her it was because Draco was no longer an option. But it didn't make sense. Ginny had helped Marcus long before Pansy had ever shown up. Unless Pansy had known of Hermione living in Draco's home sooner, she wouldn't have had a reason to go after Potter.
Hermione deduced that Marcus probably told Pansy that she was at Draco's-but that didn't make sense either, seeing as he had no reason to really talk to her.
Hermione's head hurt. Nothing made sense, and Ginny's "confession" and plea seemed nothing more then a lie. No wonder Draco was angry.
She shook her head, deciding that if there was any truth to be found, the Ball would be her best bet for answers.
Draco released tension later that night, thoroughly enjoying Hermione's withering form beneath him the entire time. Afterwards they drifted into a content sleep.
Until the screams came again.
Hermione could hear herself, screaming as Flint used the Crucio Curse on her, when he had been over, when Draco was not home. It hurt, god it hurt. She tried to remind herself that it wasn't real, it was a dream, but the pain didn't feel imaginary.
She couldn't open her eyes.
Barbie: Maybe she does...we'll see!
Jelisha Baby 22: Lol. Yes, that's all until Move Your Eyes Six Inches Up, which I'll explain more about in the next two updates!
The Butterfly Effect: I think he does...here!
I vIsItEd DrAcO lAsT nIgHt: Time will tell...
lulu: It is!
amy d: I don't think I even have more room for another sex scene in this story!
(unnamed reviewer): Thank you! Two more chapters...then onto the sequel :)
frenchie: Here you go!
TheMusicMonster (review for chapter 9): Hello Rachel is who is supposed to be the smart one, but only read chapter nine! I'm glad you liked it...and this is probably my most sophisticated message to you yet! Probably because its not a private message so it can't be too long...
