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Chapter 13 –

"Why in the bloody, blue blazes do they want to see us?" Hermione asked. Draco nodded in agreement.

"I just know that they're getting ready to leave for their honeymoon, and Ron asked me to go find Hermione, and Pansy asked me to go find Draco, and since George Weasley told everyone you were snogging in the pantry, I knew I could find you together," Harry justified.

"First, Harry, when George opened the pantry, we were only talking," she explained.

"You don't have to explain anything to Scarhead," Draco said.

"Shove it, blondie," Harry replied, and then he took Hermione's arm and said, "And George didn't really tell anyone anything. I just saw him open the door to get the alcohol, and I knew you two were in there. It was a joke. Now, come on." Harry kept his hand on her arm, practically dragging her outside. She looked back once, and reached her hand out, and Draco knew that outstretched reach was for him, and he grabbed her other hand, and pulled.

"We don't care to go out there, Potter," Draco said, pulling on Hermione.

"Just come see what they want to say," Harry said, pulling on the other arm.

"No, we don't care what they have to say," Draco said, pulling harder.

"Since when are you and Hermione a 'we'," Harry asked. He pulled harder as well.

"I'm not a piece of taffy!" Hermione mewed.

Neither man let her go. Ron came walking in the kitchen, saying, "Harry, did you find Hermione? Oh, Hermione, I need to talk to you before I leave." As soon as he said this, Pansy walked in as well. Both Harry and Draco let go of Hermione's arms.

She took a very deep, even breath, exhaling and inhaling, slowly, as she did earlier at the chapel. "What is it that you want to say, Ron?"

He took her arms, which had just been pulled by Harry and Draco, and moved his hands down to grasp her hands. He said, "I want to thank you."

She eyed him wearily, and said, "For what?"

"For letting me go. You knew we weren't right for each other before I did, and if you hadn't given me that extra little push, I never would have found Pansy. And the thing is, we were never right for each other, you and I, but I know your soul mate is out there, Hermione. Just be receptive to find him," Ron said.

Under normal circumstances, she might have thought those were nice sentiments. As it was, she was slightly put out, so she said, "I didn't let you go, Ronald. You and I were still very much together, at least as far as I knew, when you started seeing Pansy." Draco sniggered and Pansy huffed. "Second, what little push did I give you? Was my loving you a push? Was supporting your dreams for your future a push? You know what, I don't care, because you're right, we weren't meant for each other, and there is someone out there for me. Actually, there's someone in this room for me, and I am receptive, and I have already found him."

Ron looked confused and said, "Huh?"

"Never mind, Ronald. Have a nice life," she surmised, taking the high road. She leaned over and kissed his cheek. She looked at the floor, feeling sad. Harry reached for her hand, but Draco took it first.

Draco stood between Hermione and Ron. He looked at Pansy, and said, "And what did you need to tell me, Pans?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I forgive you," she said.

He looked confused. "For what?" he asked.

"You broke my heart all those years ago, but I forgive you, for I found Ron, and he's my husband now, and we're happy, so I forgive you," she said again.

"I don't know why you're forgiving me, but I don't even care. I accept your forgiveness, for whatever insane reason you're offering it to me," Draco said. Suddenly, Pansy looked down and saw that Draco and Hermione were holding hands.

"Are you two dating?" she asked abruptly.

"Yes, we are on our, what is it Granger, our 14th date?" Draco quizzed.

"I think this is our 15th, dear," Hermione said, smiling.

"Oh, yes, our 15th ," Draco agreed.

"WHAT?" Ron and Pansy asked at the same time.

"Did you know about this, mate?" Ron asked, turning to Harry.

"Yes, I did. In fact, I've know about it since the beginning," Harry played along. He wanted to say, 'since this afternoon', but he held his tongue.

"Well, that's weird," Ron concluded.

"Why is it, weird, Ronald?" Hermione challenged.

"Well, you can hardly be a more unlikely pair!" Ron actually laughed. The nerve of him.

"I can think of a more unlikely pair," Hermione said, and she pointed at the 'happy' couple.

"Us?" Pansy asked, "We have more in common than you and Drakie. First, we are both purebloods. I can't even imagine Drakie dating a Mudblood."

"How dare you!" Hermione said. Even Ron looked at his new wife in shock.

Ron said, "Pansy, don't ever call her that again. She's still one of my best friends, and I still care for her a lot."

"I'll call her whatever I want, Ron," Pansy said smoothly. She took his hand and started to drag him out of the kitchen. She turned back around and said, "I give you both two or three more dates, and then you'll probably kill each other, or maybe Drakie will wise up and see that there's better fish in the ocean, like Ron finally discovered." She turned to leave again, but Hermione pulled Draco's wand out of his pocket.

"By better fish, you mean like you, you pug nosed, blowfish?" Hermione asked, pointing Draco's wand right at Pansy. He hadn't even noticed that she drew it out of his pocket.

Harry walked up to Hermione and pushed her arm down. He said, "Ron, you and Pansy had better leave. You have reservations to meet, remember." They left the kitchen, and Harry didn't let go of Hermione's wand hand until he was sure they disapparated away.

"Thanks for stopping me, Harry," Hermione said.

"I just didn't want to have to arrest you tonight. Too much paperwork. Next time you want to hex her, please make sure you don't do it in the presence of an Auror, and while using another Auror's wand. Just tell me ahead of time, and I'll leave the room, okay?" Harry asked, with a sheepish grin. Hermione smiled and kissed his cheek. Harry added, "Your 14th or 15th date?"

"We're counting every milestone of the day, as a date." Hermione laughed.

Draco said, "I think acceptance from your best friend, old lightning bolt here, would put us up at date 20 or 21, which means you could move in tomorrow." Draco laughed as well, joined in by Hermione.

Harry said, "I'm not admitting to acceptance, so you're back down to date 15." He turned to leave and said, "The party's still in full swing, so why don't you two come back outside." Harry turned and walked out the door.

Draco walked up to Hermione and took her hand. He said, "I would have paid a million galleons to see you hex her."

"Really, well if that offer still stands, I could find their hotel, and hex her there. They would have a right fun honeymoon. I could just put a couple of boils on her backside, or her face, whichever, since they look the same," Hermione gleamed.

Draco laughed and said, "My influence is bringing you over to the dark side, isn't it?"

"Oh, Malfoy, I've already been to the dark side and back again," she said with a laugh and a twinkle in her eye.

He came up to her closely again and said, "You were pretty quick there. I didn't even feel you take my wand out of my pocket."

She said, "Well, mine was in my purse, and it's over there on the table." She had a fake frown on her face. Almost a pout. He thought she looked adorable.

He said, "May I have my wand back?"

She said, "Certainly," and she put it back in his pocket. Now that he felt.

He said, "Careful, Granger. You might hex the family jewels, there."

"Are they that valuable, Malfoy?" she asked coyly, with her hand still in his pocket. It was innocent enough. She wasn't 'touching' anything. Still, he was incredibly aroused.

"Yes, Granger, I have been told they are worth a lot. They are very valuable, for they bring pleasure to many," he said slowly, drawing his finger down her neck, to her cleavage, and leaving it to rest between her ample bosoms.

"I will have to take your word on that, Malfoy," she said, leaning her head against his neck. He could feel her breath against his skin. She put her arms around his neck and licked it slowly, starting at his jaw, and going down to his collarbone. She kissed his neck slowly, opening his collar with her hands, so she had more room to kiss him.

He whispered, "You are driving me to the point of distraction, Granger." His voice was husky in her ear. He returned her favour, and kissed down her neck again, sucking gently before he drew away.

"What do you want to do, Malfoy?" she asked, pushing him away.

"Wow," he exclaimed, "What a loaded question."

"I meant, do you want to go back out and join the revelers, or do you want to go sit in the living room, back to the roof, or there's probably another closet around here we haven't been," she mused.

"The roof?" he asked, surprised she would mention that.

"Is that the only thing you heard?" she asked, smiling.

"No, I recall the word 'closet' too." He smiled.

He took her hand and walked outside with her. There was a slow song being played by a live band. She asked, "Are we going to dance?"

He said, "I don't want to dance."

"Oh?" she asked.

"No, I just want to hold you, so this is a ruse. Everyone here will think we are dancing, but we'll know the truth," he said seductively. He pulled her close to him, and his hands traveled slowly down each arm. When his hands reached her hands, he brought them up to his neck, and draped her arms around his shoulders. He brought his hands up to her back, and pressed her body tightly to his. He was barely moving, just swaying slightly, back and forth. He was leading, she was following. Her hands stayed at his shoulders. One of his hands stayed on her back, traveling lightly from her upper back, to the sway of her back. His other hand went to her shoulder, and then around to her face. He touched her cheek with the back of his fingers.

He took the same hand and placed it on her heart, over her breasts. He said, "Your heartbeat is rapid again, and you look flushed."

"I wonder why?" she asked, breathing hard.

"What would your heart do if I kissed you right here on the dance floor, right here in front of all your friends, and the weasel's family?" he asked with hooded eyes.

"Why don't you find out, Malfoy?" she said, honestly.

He thought that was a wonderful plan. He lowered his mouth to hers. His mouth teased at her lips, kissing, pulling back, kissing, sucking, and pulling back. He sucked on her lips, and then lightly touched her lips with his tongue. That was the only prodding she needed to open up to him. His tongue danced wildly against hers, as her hands grasped his hair, tangling her fingers in his silky tresses.

His hands drew her as tightly to his body as he could. He was no longer coherent to place or time. To prove that fact, his right hand went to her shoulder, and brushed down to her breast, cupping it lightly. Of this action, she was very aware. She pushed away from him, and looked around to see if anyone saw. They did. Everyone was watching them. She looked at Draco once more and said, "I'm so sorry!" and she ran back into the house.

The thing was, no one was staring because of his 'slight of hand'. No one noticed that. What they did notice, was the fact that Hermione Granger seemed finally to be happy once again. They were all happy for her. Why did she run away?

He was going to find out, dammit!

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