One sinus and ear infection later and my mental capacities have still yet to return. Forgive the lateness, but happy holidays to those who celebrated, and happy new year!
I feel like this is way too much dialogue and not enough anything else but that's all my brain was giving me, so here it is.
"Do you have that cover article ready?" Rita Skeeter grilled Draco as he walked by her open door. His arms were full of papers and he had his bag slung over one shoulder. A light jacket hung to one side.
He pulled to a stop and popped his head back in her office. "No, I'm still working out a few kinks. There's a better story there I know it. Just give me another week and I'll have it ready."
She leveled him a stern glare before looking over her own papers in front of her. "One week, Draco. And then I want that article on my desk ready to go. You hear me? Or I'll go take it myself."
"Yes, loud and clear, Rita."
"Good now get along and go to your thing, whatever it is." She dismissively waved of her hand to shoo him out of her office. Draco sighted, he would have his work cut out for him this week if he wanted to fix the current state of his article. There was no way he would let his boss publish what was currently there.
He turned his wrist sharply to catch the face of his watch. Groaning, he gathered his things more securely before making his way to the lift. He would have to think about his article later.
Draco was late.
Lavender had wanted to get some pictures of their tasting for Merlin knows what reason. There were a few details he wanted to hammer down about the article before everyone went off their own way, so he was going to the tasting no matter what.
The catering facility was packed and he was sure they had already started, so he weaved his way in and out of the tables looking for that familiar bushy head of hair. He spotted it and started to make a bee line for their corner before noticing something peculiar.
Hermione was laughing.
Draco paused mid-stride. This laugh was not her normal pity laugh of which he often heard over the past few weeks. No, this laugh was genuine, and she looked like she was really enjoying herself. Which was odd, because the only other person was across from her and his tell-tale red hair was like a shining beacon of friend vibes and relaxed atmosphere.
A giggle pealed across the room assaulting Draco's ears. What in Merlin's name was happening? He had joking written that she had loved Ron in the past, but certainly she would know better than to giggle and flirt with her friend's soon to be husband as if she was still in love with him. Draco scoffed to himself. Never would he be seen flirting with someone's betrothed even if he was in love.
He watched Hermione reach her arm out and cling lightly to Ron's. She laughed a few more times before giving her hair a flip. Her eyes fluttered.
Oh.
That would explain things.
A waiter came up behind Draco and cleared his throat. The noise startled Draco causing him to jump slightly. The waiter gave him a weird look before asking, "Do you need assistance, sir?"
"Oh no, sorry." Draco shook his head. "I was just looking for my group. I've found them." He pointed over to the corner where Ron and Hermione where.
"Well then please be seated."
Draco could barely bring himself to interrupting the atmosphere surrounding the tiny table occupying the back corner. Every step he took was one closer to bursting the bubble residing around the two oblivious friends.
Hermione glanced over her shoulder and caught his eye. She looked shocked to see him and her eyes turned the size of saucers. Clearly being caught flirting with a taken man was not a part of her plan. She pulled her hand away slowly as if not to draw attention to the fact that she was being more that chummy with her friend.
Draco walked up and pulled out a chair before casting a knowing wink in Hermione's direction.
"So, are we enjoying the tasting?" He asked plainly.
"Yes, it's quite good," Ron replied. "Listen Draco, I was just talking with Hermione here and she's agree to go scout a few of our potential honeymoon locations. I'm too busy to go, would you mind accompanying her?"
Draco looked over at Hermione and noticed her uncomfortable shifting and avoiding his gaze. She wouldn't look him in the eyes so he focused his attention back on Ron.
"Sure thing. I'll go. Where are we headed?"
"The first location is local and then I think you're ending out in the Caribbean islands."
"How lovely, isn't it Hermione?" Draco replied smoothly. Hermione looked up and didn't answer. The atmosphere quickly turned stale and Ron started to fidget in his chair.
"Well," Ron got up and placed his palms flat on the table, "I've got to head out and catch up with a few of the groomsmen." He quickly left the stiff tension between the two at the table.
Draco spun back towards Hermione and cracked a smile. "So," Draco prompted.
"Yes?" Hermione desperately clutched her glass of water as if trying to calm herself.
"I find it interesting that, given your history with Ron, he hasn't found out you still carry a torch for him," Draco smugly accused.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Hermione said dismissively. Her cheeks flushed crimson and she averted her eyes from Draco's firm gaze.
"Hermione. I'm not completely unobservant." He watched her fingers play with the condensation dripping down the sides of the glass, and a quick idea slipped into his mind.
"Lavender and Ron mean a lot to me and I'm happy for them, really," she continued to stare down at her hands unaware of his movements.
"Keep telling yourself these things Granger." His hands clasped around hers before prying the glass from her fingers. "It seems you are very much in love with your former boyfriend. With the one whom is about to marry you good friend. With the one you work with."
Catching her glare, he downed the rest of her drink before slamming in back down on the table.
"That was rude, and yes, I know all these things, Draco," she said. You don't need to remind me."
"Well I just want to make sure you know how pathetic you are," he said sitting back in his chair.
"I'm not pathetic." Her now empty fists clenched and lightly pounded the table. "And just because I've got more than friendly feelings for my former boyfriend, does not mean the end of the world for Lavender. It's not like I'm going to act on them. I would never do that to her."
"It sounds to me like you are upset." Draco tucked his arms behind his head while he regarded her attempt a staying put together. He pushed back in his chair further to where it was balanced on two legs.
Hermione regarded his relaxed demeanor with narrowed eyes and a tight frown. "No, no. I'm not upset." Hermione wagged a finger in his face.
"Well I'm just wondering how your handling their relationship. You have been very grumpy and quick to bite people's heads off."
Hermione's shoulders stiffened and her back went straight. "It just happened all so fast and I want to make sure they are making the right decisions and not just rushing into things. I mean Lavender is Lavender. She can be a handful. And Ron doesn't always think things through and he is a very good friend of mine."
"But where does that put you?" Draco asked dropping his chair back on all four legs.
"What do you mean where does that put me?" Her shoulders dropped and she crossed her arms across her chest.
"I mean, where does your infatuation with ginger sprinkles fit in with flower girl?" Draco asked resting his chin in his hand.
"Lavender knows about our past relationship and I have given her my blessing in pursuing their current relationship. I am both their friends, that's where I fit in."
"Hermione don't kid yourself. You can't hide it forever."
She slammed her fist flat down on the table before pointing a finger at him, "Draco, I am not having this conversation with you at the moment. I've got to be at the first destination in twenty minutes, so if you could so kindly fuck off."
She pushed herself up from the table and made to grab her things, but Draco jumped up as well.
"Didn't Weasley ask me to accompany you?" Draco asked lightly grabbing her coat off the back of her chair before she could.
"There is no reason for you to be assisting me," Hermione stated flatly with her hand held out in askance for her things.
"Well a writer always gets the story," Draco said folding her coat over his arm. He turned away from their table and left Hermione with no choice but to follow him out of the restaurant.
"Oh shut up. There is no story here," She called after him while trying to catch up.
"Power couple honeymoons in exotic place, end up dead from local fauna," he called over his shoulder as they wove through the tables.
"Now you just need to stop," she said.
Hermione reached forward and grabbed her coat in the crook of his arm and tugged. Draco stopped and faced her with a smirk pulling at the corners of his lips. "What, it was a good headline."
"Now you're just getting ahead of yourself."
"Only when you are around." He smirked at her before handing Hermione her things.
They made their way to the first location a place in the outskirts of Scotland. It was dreary and drab with the clouds casting doubt over the whole experience, and as they explored they found themselves well outside the tiny town surrounded by open fields.
"I'd say this feels like your infatuation with Ron," Draco snidely commented. "Rather depressing don't you think."
"Give it a rest Malfoy," Hermione said over her shoulder as she walked down a narrow road. On either side of the road were vast open fields with varying shades of green grass and plump and fluffy looking sheep. Several looked up from their grazing to watch the arguing couple march down the desolate road.
"I don't think I will, Granger. You need to see the err in your ways. Lusting after an old boyfriend who is about to get married is not something that should be continued," Draco lectured while following her with his hands in his pockets and eyes on her rear.
She turned to face him, hands clenched in fists at her sides and eyes blazing. "Well let me just fix my feelings then shall I?"
Draco stopped short and crossed his arms ready for any barrage Hermione would bring. "Yes, that would be appropriate all things considered," he said.
"Well, feelings don't just work that way," she snapped. "Sometimes you like someone you know you shouldn't."
Draco didn't respond immediately. He took in her stiff demeanor and shifting eyes, and in their pause a sheep bleated woefully near the fence. After a few tense moments, Draco solemnly said, "Maybe you shouldn't have let yourself indulge in your little fantasies about getting back together with him and you wouldn't be in this situation."
"I did not indulge in fantasies," Hermione lectured turning away from him. "I liked my former boyfriend. I had feelings for my former boyfriend. There is nothing wrong with that. I'm heading back to the Apparition point."
"There's something wrong with flirting with him after he's already engaged though, and to your own friend no less," he argued quickly following her steps.
"Well we can't all be perfect like you, now can we?" Hermione's nose turned up as she accused him.
"I never said I was perfect, Granger. Only that you should have reevaluated yourself in the process of their relationship coming to light."
"Where is the next place?" She snapped ignoring his comments.
"You can't just ignore the situation and change the subject."
"Yes, I can and I will. Where are we going next?"
"Overseas. We'll need and international portkey to get there. I can get us one."
"Good go do that."
"Fine."
Rita Skeeter was in a bit of a pickle. She had no cover article for the weekend's paper, and was in desperate need of something juicy. Her assistant, Collins, had been avoiding her gaze all day in hopes of not being dragged under the bus for not having any quality material ready to go at a moment's notice. All her writers had bugged out for lunch to avoid her search and destroy warpath, so here she was rifling through her employees' empty cubicles in hopes of scrounging up an article worthy of front page news.
Making her way through a group of cubicles for the wedding column, Rita looked over at Draco's desk. Several thoughts briefly ran through her head about him saying something to do with a big article he wanted to work on. She marched over to his cubicle to see what he had finished and spotted a small stack of uniform papers.
Grabbing the top piece, she read his meticulous handwriting. A maniacal grin split across her face as she read his crisp words. She called out over the top of his cubical to where her assistant walked by, "Collins, I've got your cover story. I want this ready to move for tomorrow's paper."
Again, forgive me for the lateness. Thank you to all my followers and favoriters and reviewers! You guys are awesome. We're almost up to 100 followers and I know way more of you are reading this so go ahead and leave a comment or follow. It makes me so happy when you do.
