Disclaimer: We do not own Harry Potter or any of the Harry Potter characters, and we make no profit from this story.
~Chapter 13 - What happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas~
Landing inside the plush wizarding hotel in Las Vegas, they immediately noticed quidditch players littering the lobby. It was a thrill knowing they were able to book rooms at the same hotel as the Bulgarian team as well, as some of the other teams that were entered in the exhibition.
Hermione, Harry, and Draco all went up to the desk to check the group into their rooms.
"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger and I reserved eight rooms for the weekend."
The witch at reception perked up at her name, "Oh yes! Miss Granger, it's a pleasure to meet you. I see you have reserved eight standard rooms right here, but because you are special guests, we have upgraded you to complimentary deluxe rooms with views of the pool and your own personal house elf for each room."
"Really? Why?" Hermione gaped at the employee behind the desk.
"You are one of our VIP guests," the witch told her with a smile.
Hermione's mouth opened and closed like a landed fish. "But… but why am I a VIP? What does that even mean?"
Draco grabbed the pile of keys and smiled, his perfect white teeth gleaming back at the witch. "Thank you so much, we appreciate it," he said offering his arm to Hermione and the three of them walked back over to their friends.
"I don't understand," Hermione whispered. "Why would they do that, they don't know who I am?"
"Don't worry about it, maybe Krum said to take care of you," Harry muttered, not sure he liked that thought very much.
"Miss Granger," a wizard in an hotel uniform called out from the side of the desk.
Hermione looked over at him, "Yes?"
"Welcome, my name is Eric, I will be showing you to your suites."
Hermione blushed a vibrant shade of red as Ginny turned to her and mouthed, suites?
"Um, OK. You can just tell us how to get there; you don't really need to help us."
"Nonsense," Eric smiled brightly. "It is my pleasure. Just leave your bags here and I'll take you for a tour of the hotel and then up to your rooms."
Draco laughed offering Hermione his arm, and whispered in her ear, "I think you might as well give up, Miss V.I.P."
The group followed Eric from the wide reception area and down a hallway, while a few elves disapparated with their luggage. The walls were adorned with pictures of witches and wizards from all ages of time. Harry swore he saw a glimpse of Dumbledore, but when he looked back the frame was empty. Chris started a conversation with a young blonde witch in a black dress. He had to be dragged away by Kate while she scolded him, "You know Marilyn Monroe will flirt with anyone to get what she wants. I did a report on her in our fifth year. She's the most dangerous type of witch - not afraid to use a love charm on the paint that portrait is made with, I'd expect."
"Right though these glass doors is the pool, it is open 24 hours a day. The water and the air are always charmed to be a perfect temperature for optimal swimming and lounging. We will travel up the third floor where there is a health spa and sauna. I'm sure you will be able to find the nightclub on the other side of the hotel, as well as a restaurant and a bar on the top level. After following Eric through the hotel with Hermione and Ben asking the most ridiculous questions about the history of the hotel, they were led to their suite.
Once there, they found all the luggage in the main lounge along with an attractively arranged bouquet of flowers. A note was sticking from the bunch with a an elegant, large H written on the front. Kate, not wasting any time, sidled over to the flowers and stole the note to read it.
"Ha! Just friends huh?" she smirked at Hermione.
Hermione grabbed her note, "Do you have to be so nosy? At least let me read it first, since it is you know, mine."
"You don't mind."
"You don't know me well enough, I will get you back."
Kate smiled and hugged her friend, "You know I love you, I'm only teasing. I didn't really read it except that it was from your seeker."
"He was just letting me know that he would see us tomorrow. They have a late practice tonight and then strict orders to stay in their rooms. Our tickets will be at the front desk, as well as a portkey to the event since it's in the desert," Hermione explained, leaving out the part where he was excited to reconnect with her. Viktor was handsome, but they never really had much in common other than a few steamy kisses and wandering hands in the library. She really hoped he hadn't got the wrong idea when she accepted his invitation. Shaking her head to lose that particular train of thought, she got down to business.
"Now, apparently we have four suites that lead off this main lounge. Each suite has two bedrooms with two beds in each, adjoined by a shared bathroom.
"Harry and I will stay here," pointing to the door to the right. "I'm sure Draco wouldn't mind sharing a bathroom with us. Why don't you take the second bed with Hermione?" Kate grinned. She was tired of the dancing around Draco and Hermione were doing. Everyone could see that they liked each other.
"That's fine with me," Draco agreed as he turned and headed for the doors.
Kate took charge telling the group, "Okay, here are the keys. Figure out where you're sleeping and, get settled. Then we can meet back here, and figure out the rest of our day."
Everyone agreed and went their separate ways. Once unpacked, they decided that some time spent exploring the city was in order, and spent most of the afternoon seeing what Las Vegas had to offer. They went on the Las Vegas Strip and tried to get Hermione to ride High Roller, the roller coaster on the top of the tower. Turning to Harry and Draco, she quickly and succinctly said, "Absolutely not! I'd rather ride a blast ended skrewt while naked."
They walked down the strip taking photos, watching the pirate show, and taking in the giant hotels and casino's. No one could decide on which restaurant they should have supper and Draco broke up the ensuing fight by suggesting they head back to the hotel and order room service. Kate agreed wholeheartedly with Draco's suggestion saying that between Draco and herself, they had more money than the American Wizarding Bank, so they would have a feast fit for the world traveller's that they were. Ordering room service quickly became a game of 'who could order the most outrageous item on the menu and still eat it' between Kate and Draco. Kate won that particular duel when she ordered, and consumed Teriyaki Cockroaches. Draco vowed he could never top that and made a big show about bowing down in her honor. After dinner, they decided to take a midnight swim in the pool and then turned in early for the next day's events.
The next morning they all met after breakfast to take the portkey to the exhibition. Kate had insisted on dressing Hermione in a pair of black pedal pushers, an off the shoulder peasant top in plum and a pair of trainers. She was also 'allowed' a fitted pea coat if it was chilly.
"Seriously Kate, don't you think this is a little dressy for sitting in the stands to watch quidditch?"
"No, of course not," Kate was wearing a pair of jeans and a tank top in mustard with a jean jacket over top. "You look cute! Just because it's not a sweater and jeans does not make it dressy."
"I guess." Hermione hated to admit it, but she really liked the clothes that Kate picked out and was getting use to showing more of her figure.
The group all headed to their portkey and were off to the exhibition. It was being held in the middle of the desert and was a pretty big event; not as big as the Quidditch World Cup, but pretty damn close. There was a tent to get autographs and pictures with the players, a field demonstration on the latest broom, the Firebolt 2. Peddlers selling souvenirs and jerseys were there, along with games to get the most quaffles in the hoops, or to catch the snitch. Later there was to be flying demonstrations by players from both teams of some of their favorite moves.
Viktor was signing autographs when the students arrived. He had arranged for the manager of the team to meet Hermione so he could say hello before they went exploring.
"Herm-own-ninny," he grinned as they entered the tent. He said good bye to the fan he was talking to and came over to give her a hug. "It is so good to see you. Ah Harry Potter, ve meet again! Tell me, are you enjoying your stay here in America?"
"Um, yes, we are. It has been very pleasant, but don't let us keep your fans waiting, we can talk later ok?" Hermione stammered seeing the line of people waiting get impatient and some of them looking at Harry like they knew who he was. Harry was starting to get a little anxious in the crowd. He hadn't thought about how many people would be at the event. Sure, most of them were Americans but there had to be some people from home that would know who he was. "Um, it's good to see you Krum, we have to go get something to eat. See you later?" Harry really wanted to get out of the tent before people noticed who he was.
Hermione, sensing his panic, grabbed a handkerchief from Theo's pocket and transfigured it into a cap. She then shoved it on Harry's head over his scar and disillusioned his glasses. Harry blinked, realizing he could still see, and he grinned widely at Hermione nodding his head in thanks. Hermione smiled back reassuring him.
Krum nodded. "Ve vill go to dinner and out tonight, yes?" he asked, staring at Hermione.
Hermione flushed, "We were thinking of having dinner at the hotel and then the dance club after. You are welcome join us, I'd love to catch up."
"I vas hoping ve would be catching up alone tonight..." Krum looked slightly put out.
Hermione gave him a small smile, "I can't abandon my friends. C'mon! It'll be fun." She gave him a final hug and a wave, walking with her friends out of the tent. Ignoring Kate's waggling eyebrows, Hermione dragged the group to a different tent and they spent the day enjoying the activities. Harry and Draco battled to catch the snitch just like old times, and Sarah and Ginny caused quite the sensation when they both tied for most quaffles through the goal posts.
The team manager found them in the souvenir tent where Ginny was deciding which movable action figures she should buy to send home to Ron and George. He showed the group to their seats for the demonstrations, telling them that any refreshments they'd like were on the house. This tidbit of information caused Hermione to frown, and Kate to start making obnoxious inquiries as to why they might be receiving 'special treatment' from the Bulgarian Quidditch team.
The demonstrations were amazing, even for someone like Hermione who didn't necessarily enjoy the game. Even she could admit the talent required to pull off some of these acrobatic maneuvers. The chasers showed off their speed and agility, using variations of the Porskoff Ploy, where a chaser throws the quaffle to a chaser directly below themselves to get the goal. Krum showed off the Wronski Feint he had used at the World Cup, and the Plumpton Pass where the snitch is hidden up his sleeve to confuse the other team.
After a long afternoon at the exhibition, Hermione left a message with the manager that she and her friends were going back to the hotel and would meet Viktor and his friends for dinner at 6:00 at the hotel restaurant. Then they went to catch a portkey back to their hotel to get ready for the evening.
Kate, tired of the never ending and never progressing flirtation between Hermione and Draco, enlisted the help of Pansy and Ginny to give Hermione a make over. Pansy and Ginny both brought over their own articles of clothing that they thought would look amazing on Hermione and barricaded themselves in Hermione's room, completely taking her prisoner. Harry and Draco having been ready for quite some time, dressed in black slacks, green and deep blue button down shirts respectively, were playing a game of wizard's chess while shouts could be heard from behind the locked door.
Harry couldn't hold it in anymore and laughed heartily, "You would think the girl who traipsed around the country with me looking for pieces of an evil wizard could handle Kate."
Draco smirked. "How would you know? You can barely handle her." With that comment Harry closed his mouth and concentrated on his game.
"You should really stop threatening me with bodily harm Hermione," Kate laughed walking out of the room finally. "Pansy does have a good eye, you look fantastic!" She went over and sat next to her boyfriend, while Pansy and Ginny both came out of the room dressed themselves and chatting about what a great job they did. The door opened and the rest of the group walked in, taking up space throughout the living room area of the suite.
"Hermione, will you come out here? We have to get going," Theo bellowed from his seat next to Draco. Pansy sat on his lap and started playing with his hair.
"Fine, but no one laughs, or I'm changing," Hermione scolded. She walked out in a green backless top that had silver criss crossed strings attached to the front, a silver tulle skirt that hit mid thigh and the highest pair of black heels they could manage to get her to walk in. "I look like Slytherin threw up on me!"
"Hey, you look good in green," Pansy protested. "Much better than red and gold."
"I hate to say it 'Mione," Ginny grinned. "But, Pansy's right, you look amazing in green. It brings out the green flecks in your eyes."
Hermione grumbled, "It brings out the vomit in my stomach is what it does." Looking around the room Hermione got increasingly agitated. "Gin, there are seven guys in this room and not one of them is looking me in the eye. I'm pretty sure Harry doesn't even know what color my eyes are."
Sarah started laughing with her, "You might be right 'Mione, but you do look amazing. I love that skirt!"
Harry walked up to his best friend. "Your eyes are hazel with green and yellow flecks and yes, you look great in green, but did you have to do silver? Couldn't you stick to black? You are betraying all your Gryffs in the room you know," he teased.
"Blame Ginny," Hermione giggled, finally calming down after all the positive comments. "It's her skirt."
"I think she looks bloody brilliant," Pansy declared. "Salazar might be turning in his grave, but who gives a fuck these days."
"Wow, it still amazes me," Hermione stage whispered to Harry with a giggle. "I mean after everything we've been through, we're friends with Pansy and Draco."
"I know, who would have thought that would ever happen?" Harry whispered back with a smile.
Draco got up from the sofa brushing his hands down the front of his trousers. "Shall we go then?" As Hermione bent down to retrieve her bag, Draco walked up to Hermione and held out his arm. "You look… mesmerizing."
She looked up startled only to find those eyes had gone slate grey, and were staring at her with such frank appreciation she didn't know what to do with herself. She simply grabbed his arm,
flushing happily. "Err… thanks. Come on, let's getting going," she whispered while following the group out of the room.
They met Krum and a few of his team mates at the hotel restaurant and had an enjoyable dinner. Hermione sat between Harry and Draco with Viktor across from her next to one of his team mates. Harry could feel the tension between Draco and Viktor, as well as the clear indication from Viktor that Hermione was more than just a Pen Pal to him. Harry could see the look of unease on his friend's face and knew that Hermione did not feel the same way as Viktor. She spoke to him, but tried to interact with everyone evenly so as to not give him all her attention.
Once dinner was done they made their way to the nightclub downstairs. There were several stops from adoring Bulgarian fans for autographs and photos, but more surprising than anything were the people who recognized Harry and Hermione and asked them to pose for a photo. Neville had a keen eye for sensing who out of the sea of people had recognized them and might stop them, so he took it upon himself to warn the rest of the Hogwarts students and they worked as a group to distract their other classmates. Finally, they made it down to the club in the relative safety of the dimly lit, slightly cavernous environment. The Bulgarians were able to secure the V.I.P. booths for the night, and the party began.
Hermione tried a strawberry daiquiri and something called a fuzzy navel. Both drinks were fruity and delicious and left her with a comfortable floating sensation; she wouldn't consider herself drunk, but it left her feeling brave, sexy, and just a little bit risky. She looked up and saw Kate flirting hard with one of the men behind the bar. She was totally working the outfit she had on, leaning forward on her elbow, whispering in his ear and giving her target a full view of the amazing cleavage she had to work with. When he nodded and started talking to the other bartenders, Kate threw back her head and laughed maniacally waving the rest of the girls over.
"What have you done, Kate?" Sarah asked, knowing her friend all too well.
"I may, or may not have told them that we're a professional dance troupe and would like to perform a little dance number for them…. On the bar."
"Oh really…" Hermione stated, intrigued. Ginny gaped at Hermione and immediately took her drink and sniffed it.
"How many of these have you had?" Ginny questioned her, scowling at Kate who had purchased her drinks.
"Two, thank you very much Molly," Hermione said imperiously. "I'm perfectly capable of making competent and adult decisions, which includes whether or not I would like to dance on a bar. I think the answer is yes, but how will we know what to do?"
"I don't think it needs to be perfectly choreographed Hermione," Pansy said wryly. "They're looking at five scantily clad women shaking it on a bar, I hardly think they'll complain."
"Point taken."
"Alright then – let's do this!"
"Oh, no you don't," Ginny said, pulling her arm out of Hermione's grasp. "I'm not getting up there and shaking my arse for a bunch of people I don't know! I'll hang with Sarah and Jess back at the table."
And so, the unlikely trio of Hermione, Pansy, and Kate climbed up on the bar and spread themselves out. The DJ dropped a new song a slightly faster remix of 'No Diggity' by Blackstreet, Hermione whooped with excitement.
As if it had been planned the three girls started moving in unison, all hips and sway. Hermione's movements were stiff at first, unsure of herself. She looked over at Pansy who had her eyes closed, and was moving to the thick base beat in a way that had everyone in front of her laser locked on her body. She looked at Kate who had found Harry in the crowd and was giving him a private lap dance even though she was in a room of hundreds of people, and Harry was across the bar. That's when Hermione saw Draco, eyes locked on her. I could drown in those eyes, she found herself thinking again. She kept her eyes trained on him, and began feeling the lyrics of the song "Shorty get down good lord…. I can't get her out of my mind, wow" and her movements became more sultry, more confident, and more sexy. Kate came over to where she was on the bar and grabbed her hand, pulling her into a tight embrace, hips still swaying. Going with it, Hermione moved her hips in slow circles, bending her knees lower and lower until she stuck her hips back and came all the way back up to standing height with her butt squarely against Kate's hips. This was apparently a hit because the crowd broke out in applause and several catcalls. Pansy, never one to be out done, spun Kate towards her and did a variation of the same thing, with way more flash and bang.
When the song finished the bar, which had already been alight with raucous cheering and applause, broke out in a fresh wave letting the girls know they'd been plenty entertaining. Hermione, giving Draco one last smile, was completely breathless and eager to get back to the table and have another drink. As she approached the edge of the bar to get down, a set of hands reached out and she grabbed their shoulders laughing at what she'd just done. Merlin's beard, she thought, I just danced on a bar. In public!
She looked up to say thank you to the stranger who helped her get down and realized that it was Viktor. "Oh, Viktor! Thank you. That was so much fun and I'm so exhausted! I need another drink…"
"You vere beautiful up there Herm-own-ninny…"
"Thanks! It's easy when you're dancing with those girls to be honest. I can honestly say I never thought I'd do anything like that in my entire li-"
Completely out of left field, Krum kissed her. He'd knocked her slightly off balance when he went for the kiss, so she had no choice but to grab his shoulders to avoid falling on her arse. As soon as she managed to get her feet underneath her she pushed, gently at first, on Krum's chest, and then more insistently when he wouldn't let go.
"Viktor!" she yelled as she finally managed to tear herself out of his grip. "I'm sorry, but that's not why I came to visit you."
"But… I thought… You came! Vhy did you come if not to be rekindling our relationship?"
"Because we're friends!" she said, completely exasperated. "We're friends Viktor, and we've never really been more than that. I'm sorry if you thought something different, but that was never my intention. I'm… involved with someone else in some ways, and it wouldn't be fair to either of you if I didn't set the record straight now. I'm terribly sorry…" She had said the last part as she started moving toward the table, but paused to make sure he wasn't angry and that he would follow her back to the table. They looked at each other for a long minute before Viktor obviously came to the decision that their friendship was more important, and he gave her a wan smile, following her back to their table.
She sat down at the table next to Draco, who had his back to the bar, and picked up a beer bottle, draining it dry. It wasn't until the rest of the group returned to the table that Hermione realized how tense Draco was beside her, he almost seemed to vibrate with it. She stole a glance at his face and was shocked by what she saw there.
"What's wrong with you?" she asked, putting her hand on his arm. Did he see Viktor kiss me? She thought wildly, examining the situation in her mind. No, he had his back to the bar when I got here, there's no way he saw that.
When Draco looked down at her, she realized that she must have been completely, and entirely wrong.
His eyes looked black in the dimmed lighting and his jaw was so tight she thought his teeth might crack. He glared at her tapping his fingers on the table.
"Granger, if it's all the same to you, I'd prefer to have this conversation in a less public place." he said, glancing around at their table of companions who were looking anxiously between the two and the busy dance club. In the same moment, he was grabbing her hand and pulling her away from the table.
They passed a concerned Theo and Pansy who were still on the dance floor. Pansy reached out for Draco as he passed, but he shook her off, intent on his destination. His only focus was getting them away from the crowd, so they could finally have this conversation in private
"Just where do you think you're going? Take your hands off me!" Hermione yelled to be heard above the pulsing music while struggling to free herself. Draco wasn't paying her any mind. He went down the stairs towards the bathrooms and at the last minute turned under the stairway and backed Hermione up against the wall until they were face to face.
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with me?" he asked quietly - dangerously quiet.
Hermione wasn't one bit scared, "Yes, what's wrong with you? You're acting like you're mad at me and I haven't done anything wro-"
Draco picked Hermione up, pinned her against the wall with his body, wedged his knee between hers and kissed her. The kiss itself was hard and hot, a branding on her mind as well as her lips. She fought at first, but the kiss was brutal, an onslaught of the senses. He had his hands in her hair and his thumbs were circling just behind her ears causing star bursts of lust to pool in her mind as well as between her thighs. He smelled like sin, something vague and slightly smokey that had her thinking of campfires and firewhiskey.
Draco knew it would be like this between them, somehow he just knew, as he'd known she'd fight him. What he hadn't expected was the slow surrender, that she'd give him more, inch by excruciating inch. When she ground her hips down over his thigh and opened her mouth on a small moan, he took full advantage and moved his tongue against hers. His hands couldn't get enough, as he moved from that ridiculous mane of hair to her face, down her sides and eventually grabbed her ass, molding it with his hands.
Hermione couldn't see, she couldn't breathe. His hands were everywhere and his mouth, gods, his mouth was demanding and soft all at the same time. As quick as it started, it was over. Draco put her on her feet, turned and walked up the steps, pausing halfway to level a searing stare. "Stay away from Krum," he demanded, before walking away.
Draco walked up the stairs, his anger and his lust barely in check. He didn't see the people around him, or hear the music because his heart was beating loud enough to cover it all. I've got to get out of here, he thought, finding one of the six exits he'd marked upon his arrival. Theo, having seen him come up from the bathrooms reached out and grabbed his arm. Draco reacted on instinct, turning and pushing him hard, forcing him to let go of his grip. Draco fled, quickly, quietly, trying to attract as little attention as possible; he'd already created quite a scene by pushing Theo and he needed to be by himself. Away from everybody. Away from her.
He managed to get outside and was gulping deep breaths of air, trying to get rid of the tunnel vision, the roaring in his ears, when a hand came down on his shoulder. Draco spun, fists clenched, wand in his non-dominant hand so he could punch first, ask questions later. His fist connected with his assailant's nose, causing a satisfying crunching sound and giving him enough time to get his wand up and trained. "Confring-"
"Draco, no!" Hermione screamed, jumping in front of his attacker. He dropped his wand, paling at the thought that he'd nearly finished that spell and she'd jumped in front of it. He backed up, away from the scene in front of him until his back hit the wall, and then he sat abruptly, his knees no longer up to bearing his weight. He could see Hermione caring for his would-be attacker, though he noticed now it was just a staff member, who'd been coming to give him his coat. "Fuck," he groaned, starting to shiver uncontrollably. Hermione passed the injured man off to Kate, presumably so she could grease the wheels and avoid this becoming a full scale investigation. I'm going to Azkaban, Draco thought, causing the shivers to increase exponentially. I've broken the wizarding oath we took with McGonagall, she'll see me thrown in Azkaban if it's the last thing she does. With that last thought, Draco's mind went impressively blank, and tears started falling silently down his face. He could hear someone vaguely calling his name, but he couldn't focus, he couldn't concentrate. He couldn't hear anything except I'm going to Azkaban, over and over in his mind.
"Draco…DRACO…. DRACO!" Hermione yelled, shaking his shoulders roughly. She was visibly shaken by what was happening with Draco. She knew he'd been angry with her when he left, but something hadn't been right, so she'd followed him. Godric, if I hadn't gotten here in time… She shook herself from that morose thought and focused on Draco. He was extraordinarily pale, and more concerning, he was eerily quiet. Abandoning all sense of boundaries they might have, she knelt down and pulled him to her, cradling his head against her chest and murmuring, "It's alright," over and over again until he heard her. She looked toward the mouth of the alley they'd come out in and she saw the group standing casually by the entrance. The crowd of people passing by on the other side of the group seemed blurry, and she knew that someone must have cast a notice-me-not spell and she was horribly relieved. Harry was having an intense conversation with Theo which she couldn't hear, and Kate and Jess were working to calm a clearly upset Pansy. The rest of the group tried their best to seem unconcerned so as to avoid any unwanted attention.
Suddenly, Neville appeared right in front of her and caught her eye. "Are you alright? We should be undisturbed here, I've cast a series of wards that should leave us unnoticed by muggle and wizard alike. Take your time."
He walked away without another word, or demanding an explanation, and Hermione was forever grateful for the straightforward promise of protection. At some point during Hermione's examination of their surroundings and the time spent making sure that they wouldn't be disturbed, Draco's shivering and tears had stopped. He was less tense, the hyperventilating had slowed down to something approaching a normal rate and he had some color back in his cheeks.
"Draco… What happened here?"
"N.. Nothing. I'm fine, just… just surprised me that's all."
"Draco, cut the shit, you were going to hex that man and all he did was bring you your coat," Hermione demanded. Draco sat up abruptly and made to move away from her, but she held on tight, effectively boxing him in unless he wanted to move her physically.
"Hermione, don't. Don't," he pleaded, letting her see the panic in his eyes voluntarily for the first time.
"Draco, it's OK. You were triggered, it could have happened to any one of us."
He scoffed, wiping his nose on his sleeve. "Oh yeah, too right. Saint Potter hexing a civilian in public…"
"He nearly killed Tom at the Leaky just after the war. Tom came up behind him to offer his congratulations and startled him." Hermione shrugged, like the information she'd offered was of no consequence. It certainly took Draco up short though, thinking that perhaps he wasn't the only one who suffered as badly as he did. Some part of him thought that it was some sort of cowardice on his part.
"I just… I don't know why it happens," he admitted quietly. "It doesn't even make sense, and I can't predict it. How am I ever supposed to be normal if I can't avoid completely losing my mind in public?" The look on his face was pure anguish, and it broke her heart.
"Is it as bad as it was just after the war? Or is it better, less frequent?"
"It's… better, I guess. It happens less often, and it's like some part of me can sense that it's coming and so I leave. I tried to leave," he said, his eyes pleading with her to see that he hadn't meant any of it.
"Draco, stop. I know you didn't mean to hurt that man, that's not who you are. You were having a panic attack and someone came up behind you and startled you. Had that happened during the war, the standard policy was to hex first and ask questions later. No one could blame you for the response you had here. Plus, it looks like Kate has smoothed things over. What is it you're always telling me? Money fixes everything," she chuckled, trying to raise his spirits.
"It can't keep me out of Azkaban, and that was my last strike."
Hermione looked at Draco completely aghast. "Do you honestly think they'd send you to Azkaban for that?"
"We took an oath, Hermione. Keep our noses out of trouble, keep ourselves in line. The message was clear that this was my last chance and I blew it. McGonagall will have me in a cell faster than you can say Quidditch."
"If you think any of us would let that happen, you're delusional," she said, voice ice cold.
Startled by her vehemence, he looked up and into her eyes. "Why? Why would any of you protect me? I deserve to be in there Hermione, I deserve to be put away for the part I had in that war. I helped him, even if I didn't want to. He got more of what he wanted because of me and my family. I've been stupid to think I'd escape unscathed."
"Unscathed?" she whispered, appalled that he'd use it to describe his current state. She put her hands on either side of Draco's face and forced him to look at her. "You are not 'unscathed' Draco, prison cell or not. That war has had its consequences for everyone that fought in it, and you do not deserve to go to prison for your role. Why can't you believe that none of us hate you? Why can't you believe that I don't hate you?"
When he let his eyes drop as his shoulders slumped, Hermione was so frustrated. She pushed his shoulders against the wall, tilted his chin upwards, and kissed him squarely on the mouth.
Draco's eyes popped open as her lips made contact with his. He couldn't believe this was happening. Not one to look a gift hippogriff in the mouth, he cupped her face and poured himself into the kiss.
Hermione felt his surprise, and then she felt him melt, inch by inch into the kiss. Forgetting that they were in an alley, Hermione moved until she was straddling him, deepening the kiss, intensifying the angles, pulling him closer.
Draco thought he might be drowning in her, but couldn't bring himself to care. He'd never felt this way with any other person he'd been with. She was pure emotion, no guile, no games, just… her. She'd managed to comfort him, to soothe his aching soul, with just a kiss. Merlin help him when he got her underneath him, when he got her in bed. Because he would have her, it was just a matter of time. No sooner had he thought the words than Hermione broke the kiss, pressing her forehead to his and breathing heavily.
"I'm not sure what this is, but I'm certain it shouldn't be explored in an alley. Are you ok to go back in? To the hotel I mean, I'm done clubbing for the evening."
Draco swallowed heavily and nodded once, not trusting himself to speak quite yet. As had happened earlier that night, Hermione stood first and offered him her hand to help him stand. He took it, only this time he didn't let it go. He laced his hand with hers, and they proceeded back toward their friends. Neville glanced at Draco, searching his face for further signs of trauma when Draco held out his hand. They shook, and Neville gave him a nod before turning to tuck Jess under his arm, one of his hands in the back pocket of her jean skirt. Kate grinned at Hermione, while Pansy hugged Draco.
Not one person asked what happened, not one person treated them differently, not one person noticed the eyes that saw and heard everything.