WARNING: There will be some dark bits in the story til our problem gets resolved. I wont put a ton in, cause I want this to remain mostly lighthearted, and of course sexy. Just wanted to let everyone know!! Some darker drama will come towards the end of this chapter. Read on~
Hermione was reeling. Her skin tingled every time she thought about Draco and that kiss. It felt so intense, like he was trying to communicate several things in that singular moment with her. She did feel bad about making him so anxious, but she didn't believe that being dishonest with him was fair.
Lucius Malfoy really bothered her that night. She was unpleasantly confronted with the man from her past, and she very much wished to leave those days behind her. It was confusing to say the least. Draco had been utterly convinced of his father's approval, albeit reluctant, it was approval nonetheless. Not to mention his little visit to her shop, encouraging her to seek his son out and put an end to his self inflicted misery. It just didn't make sense, and she often wondered was all this stress even worth it. Then she would think back on every time Draco surprised her, made he laugh, gave her butterflies, or just gave her comfort when she was unhappy or stressed about things at work. Yeah. He's definitely worth it. She thought idly, and smiled secretly to herself.
She was busy at the shop, but agreed to meet with Blaise for lunch, so she cleared up her current project and locked down the shop just as he was walking up the path to her front step.
"Hello, Granger." He quipped and she raised a brow at him.
"Still mad I hexed you?" she asked as he offered her his elbow, which she happily accepted. They started heading down the road to their favorite deli (The Sandwitch Brew) before he responded.
"Not mad, just a tad more frightened of you than I was before."
She giggled at him and poked his side to make him squirm and smile back at her.
Once they were settled at a booth with their food and drinks, they fell into easy conversation. Blaise was usually very eccentric and boisterous, but there were times when he knew it was more appropriate to mellow out, and seeming to sense Hermione's mood had him behaving cool as a cucumber.
"So," he began, and flicked a chip into his mouth, "have you forgiven Draco for his bad manners yet? I am stopping into the office later and I don't want to if he's just gonna be in a foul mood."
She sighed and leaned back in her seat, fiddling with the fork in her hand, pushing around the broken egg on her plate. "I have, although I'm still unsettled by the entire situation. I mean, how can his father be so appeasing at first, but then act like a complete arse when our relationship progresses?"
He shrugged and popped a couple more chips into his mouth. "I won't pretend to understand the inner workings of Lucius, but I will say I'm proud of you for not backing down. Show him he can't be a bully anymore."
She scoffed and stared at him incredulously as he took a massive bite from his sandwich. "Blaise, he's not just a bully. There was a time in my life when we came face to face and he tried to kill me, kill my friends. It's hard to reconcile that man with what Draco is trying to tell me he's become now."
Blaise sat back and watched her critically. He wiped his mouth with a napkin and took a sip of his pumpkin juice, before reaching across the table and grasping one of her hands in his.
"Lucius did a lot of soul searching after the war, and even more community service. Draco wouldn't tell you to have faith if he wasn't sure of the reasons. Talk to him about it."
She smiled at him and nodded and felt a little squeeze on her hand of comfort.
"Well, anyway, are you finally going to tell me what it is you do as Draco's business partner?" she asked, swiftly changing the topic to something lighter.
"Ah, I was wondering when you'd get curious about that again. I travel around to various properties we own and make sure they are clean, organized, and flourishing. I listen to any complaints and see if I can find solutions, and I also scout out new potential properties to buy, or businesses to invest in. It's quite a lot, but it also means I get to see new places and people and try new foods and experience new cultures a lot of the time. Draco mostly stays around here and does all the paperwork and CEO stuff I could care less about." He finished with a dismissive wave of his hand. She grinned, but sat straighter in her seat.
"That sounds wonderful! I mean the actual work itself sounds tedious in some ways, but mostly, that sounds like a dream. I can also see why the Malfoys are so rich and why they carry a lot of pride in this very old family business."
Blaise nodded and suddenly perked up. "You know what, we have an upcoming work trip, and it's supposed to last about four days. We have to meet with some American investors and hammer out some details for a project. If I convince Draco to go, will you agree to join him?"
Hermione was in the middle of taking a bite of a sliced tomato when she stopped to look thoughtfully at him. She resumed her chewing, and shrugged. "I don't know Blaise, isn't that too... too..."
"Intimate? Romantic? Steamy?" he prompted, and wiggled his eyebrows at her. She rolled her eyes in response.
"Intrusive." She deadpanned and he shook his head vigorously.
"No! He told me to go alone because he didn't want to leave you while the air was muggy between you both. He was also afraid to ask if you'd join because he thought you'd hex him for going to quick in this courtship. A trip away together, whether it's work related or not, is quite personal. Please, Granger! We will have time for non work and it'll be fun!" he pleaded, staring at her wide eyed and hopeful.
She couldn't help but to laugh loudly at his begging.
"Okay, okay! If you can get him to ask me, I promise to agree on going. I've never been to America before. I'm sure with you two, it'll be a riot."
He winked at her and they both happily ate the rest of their lunch over lighthearted conversation before parting ways until their next encounter.
oO0Oo
Blaise threw a wad of parchment at his stubburn friend and scowled deeply. He'd been trying for at least an hour, unsuccessfully, to convince Draco it would be a good idea to invite Granger along for their work trip. His excuses were that it might be too soon, that his father may have ruined things and he needs to take care regarding her, they had no way to know they would have free time during the trip to relax together (regardless of the fact Blaise insisted they could even extend the trip but it was likely they would have free time because they always had some), or his most basic and frustrating excuse - He didn't want to risk her saying no and rejecting him. Blaise was so annoyed, he could hex him.
"Draco, for fuck sake, I'm trying to tell you this is a really good idea and you keep making all kinds of bullshit excuses. Don't you want to take her somewhere lovely and spoil her senseless?"
He watched his friend slump in his chair and dropped some files he was looking through on his desk. Ignoring Blaise never worked, so he wasn't sure why the blond git kept trying.
"Of course I would, Blaise, but it's just not the right time. Besides, a work trip, honestly? She would think I'm being lame or something."
"No she wouldn't! I swear, why am I friends with you? Bloody tosser is what you are." Blaise snapped and Draco glared angrily from across the room. He crossed his arms over his chest and released a harsh breath through his nose.
"Fine! I'll ask her. Shit, Blaise, you can be a proper pain in the arse, you know?"
"I know! That's the point. I get my way in the end, no matter how aggravating the process."
Blaise grinned while his friend rolled his eyes and he was just pleased to know Granger would be coming along and hopefully this trip would aid in bringing these two closer together. Being far away from Lucius couldn't hurt, either.
oO0Oo
It was late in the evening when Draco finally finished working, thanks to the antics of one Blaise Zabini, so he cleared up his desk and shut off the fire in the hearth. Grabbing his mobile from his pocket, he flipped it open and wandered out of his office, nodding to some of the last minute people leaving for the night as well. He smirked at a message from Hermione letting him know that she expected a call no matter how late it was.
He wasn't sure when it happened, but he started receiving more and more texts through the day while he was at work, and if he wasn't meeting her for lunch or some time during the evening, she usually called him or he called her. Bloody convenient, these Muggle things, he thought to himself and made his way out of the building and to the apparition point.
'Do you still want me to call?' he typed out quickly and hit send, before turning on the spot and apparated into his bedroom at the Manor. No sooner than he set his things down and kicked his shoes off, he heard the soft buzzing from the mobile on his bed.
'Yes I would.' was her short reply, and he smirked again, knowing she had probably been fighting sleep to some extent.
He quickly pulled off his suit until he was only in his boxers and settled onto the bed, leaning comfortably against the headboard and called his pretty witch.
"Hello..." came a muffled answer and Draco chuckled.
"Hi. I could have just called tomorrow, Hermione."
"No, no no. I'm awake, I promise." she grumbled in the most adorable way possible. He couldn't help but to smile.
"Well, I'm home now. I'm sorry I couldn't see you today." Draco spoke softly, listening to her quiet breaths on the other end.
"It's alright. We have tomorrow. I was busy, anyway. Decided to clear out my bedroom and rearrange the furniture." she said, sounding a little more awake now. He quirked his brows up at that.
"You sound like you were just bored and trying to stay busy."
She laughed sweetly, "Don't be silly, Draco. I wanted to declutter for awhile, and today was a good opportunity to do so. I'm relieved it's done, but I'm tired."
Draco felt his mouth fall open. "Wait, don't tell me... did you move everything without magic?"
He heard her sigh. "Yes, I did."
"Granger!" he exclaimed in disbelief, He could practically see her scowling at him through the mobile.
"I'm not a helpless little girl, Draco. I used to do it that way at my parents house."
"Okay, I clearly just need to get used to you preferring to do most things the Muggle way. It's not my normal, you know?" he replied, relaxing back in his bed again.
There was a short pause, and he suddenly became worried he might have said the wrong thing.
"I know, Draco," came her quiet response, "and I am thankful that you've finally accepted me, and others like me, as we are... whatever happens- if we don't work out, I'd like to remain friends..."
Draco scrunched his face up, displeased with this turn of conversation. Blaise's earlier words echoed in his head and he could feel his heart rate quickening. Swallowing down his nerves and taking a calming breath, he finally spoke.
"First of all, Granger, you're stuck with me, not that I see this going anywhere but down an aisle, second of all... " he paused, smirking at the thought of her blushing in response to his words, "I think we should go on a little trip together and get away from whatever is on your mind." He held his breath nervously and wondered if this was poor timing to suggest something like that.
"Oh?" she asked curiously.
"Well, before you get excited, it's actually a work trip, and Blaise will be with us if you agree to come, but I will make sure we still have time together."
"Hmm, where to?"
"Uh, oh right, it's in America. Some place called California. Blaise has been there. Tells me it's fun, and the beaches are nice..."
Whatever he was expecting from her, it wasn't the tinkling sound of her laughter coming through the line to him. He raised an eyebrow, utterly confused and waited for her to calm back down.
"I would love to go to California with you. When is the trip?"
"In a week... You seem so relaxed about this..."
"Do I?" she replied as innocently as she could. Draco scoffed.
"Hermione." he grumbled, and she laughed again.
"Blaise may have mentioned this to me..."
Draco groaned openly, which only made her laugh more. "He spent ages in my office today pestering me to ask you! Why couldn't he just tell me you knew already?" he asked, exasperated.
"Oh, you know he likes to have fun at your expense. Don't be too upset, Draco. Just look forward to it now, ok?" came her sweet response, and he instantly felt himself relaxing again.
"I can't wait to see you tomorrow. Anything special you want to do?"
"No, not really. I thought you could just come here. I'll make lunch and even dinner if you want to stay. We can watch a film or two, chat, I don't know. I wasn't sure if you would think that boring."
"No, that sounds perfect, Hermione." He grinned widely, and chuckled when he heard her trying to hide a yawn from him. "For now though, you'd better get some sleep. I'll ring you again tomorrow before I go over, okay?"
She made a distant sound of protest which made him smile again, but eventually she reluctantly agreed. They said their farewells, and he replaced the mobile to his bedside table.
Settling himself under his covers and snuggling into his pillows, his mind was blissfully filled with warm thoughts of Hermione, allowing him to drift to sleep with the trace of a small smile across his lips.
oO0Oo
It was eerily quite, but that was normal on this side of the local wizarding market. A tall figure, covered in a luxurious looking velvet cloak glided easily through the few people skulking the lane. He kept his head lowered, hood hiding his face, and made his way as quickly as possible to an alleyway just beyond Borgin Burkes. There, hidden in the shadow, he could see another concealed figure waiting for his arrival.
"What kept you?" the other person snapped quietly.
"I don't drop everything upon being summoned anymore," Lucius spat in a harsh whisper, "those days are long behind me."
"Yes, I am well aware of your shift in beliefs. Allowing filth like that to corrupt your once pristine reputation." the person hissed angrily.
Lucius stiffened. "I have thought deeply about your demands, and find I can no longer accommodate you. I refuse."
"Really? You refuse? Do you really think me so foolish as to let this defiance go unpunished?"
"Unpunished? How dare you!" Lucius growled, drawing his wand, but before he could utter a single word, the other shadowy figure lifted a hand and freezed him in place. Lucius felt his eyes widen. Endless and wordless magic was no small feat, and he was woefully unprepared for such a tactic.
The cloaked figure stepped right into his personal space, and slowly gripped his throat, squeezing just enough to make him wince with discomfort.
"You have taken too much. This is too far, and I will not allow any further disobedience."
He could just faintly make out the shining of their eyes from the light coming through to the ally from a street light. With a jolt of panic, he heard them whisper, "Crucio." and suddenly his still immobile body was burning with pain. He wanted to scream, but couldn't. He wanted to breath, but couldn't. He felt as though his insides were being brutally ripped into shreds. He was vaguely aware of his alleyway companion kissing him, sticking their tongue past his slightly parted lips.
"I can feel your very essence crying out for relief, Malfoy. It's absolutely divine." they whispered, stepping away from him, and finally releasing both spells.
Instantly, Lucius crumpled to the cold, wet ground. He couldn't stop from twitching, gasping and moaning, horrified and disgusted by what this piece of shit did to him.
"Perhaps now you will take things more seriously, lest you wish the same treatment to befall your family."
The last words were spoken deathly serious, as this vile human stepped over his body and left him panting and groaning in agony in the alley.
A/N whoa whoa, here we go! Please leave a review ] thanks!