Chapter fourteen

Non-dates and talks

By eight o'clock Hermione was sure she was having a nervous breakdown. Ginny and Harry had been no help to her; neither had Snape when she pleaded to have someone else do the story.

After accepting her fate she had another problem. She had no idea as to where she was going nor was she sure she had anything that would live up to a millionaire's taste.

Deciding to take The Slytherin' s advice and wear a green tight fitting shimmering dress Hermione found her self waiting for the knock of death. Or at least the arrival of the man she knew- despite Harry's claim he can be nice- she hated.

But before she had the chance to go and change in to jeans and a jumper a knock forced her to chew her lip, it was now or never.

With a determined will she rose to her feet, grabbing a wrap and her bag on the way.

Raising her eyebrow as she swung the door open, she waited for some snaky remark but was rewarded with silence as Draco stood staring at her.

"If you insist on not telling me where we're going then this was the only dress I thought would do" Hermione declared in a haughty tone causing Draco to snap his eyes to her face and shake his head.

"You look lovely... I mean beautiful" Draco stuttered before Hermione rolled her eyes and pushed her way past him secretly smiling that she could at least steal a playboy millionaire's breath away.

"So where are we going" Hermione demanded as she spun once her door was locked to find Draco flushing and swallowing hard.

"Um..." Draco furrowed his brow in thought while Hermione smirked and studied his midnight blue suit with a pale blue shirt.

"Madam Puddifoot's" Draco admitted bashfully as Hermione's jaw drop and she stared at him with a mixture of surprise and glee.

With a smirk Draco retrieved his charm and thought process before offering his arm to Hermione.

"Shall we" he offered before Hermione shook her head and walked briskly past him leaving Draco to chuckle behind her as he strolled forward.

Madam Puddifoot's was the exclusive and typically over priced new restaurant in London; rumoured only to hire chief's who had at least ten years as a five star chief.

Hermione and Ginny had been praying for the day they could actually eat there as it was another rumour that only those who could afford the drinks alone could enter.

However Hermione was scowling at the menu muttering about prices that was not even listed on the over done booklet in her hands.

Draco however waved away his menu the moment the waiter arrived at their table.

"You do know that if you have to ask how much something is then you can't afford it" Hermione snipped before she lifted her eyes up to her dinner partner and snorted.

"Though I'm pretty sure you've never had to ask the price of anything" Hermione grumbled lowering her eyes back to the menu.

"Because I'm the great Draco Malfoy and everything is just given to me" Draco drawled as Hermione snapped her eyes back to him and stared at him with a dead panned face.

"No; because you can probably afford anything" Hermione declared as Draco raised his eyebrows in surprise at her response.

"Well I think that's a first for our meetings Miss Granger; we haven't had one snide remark thrown at each other" Draco exclaimed as Hermione scowled at him and put her menu down.

"I can change that if you want" Hermione questioned as Draco shook his head and lent back in his chair.

"No please don't; it's more pleasant if we don't try to think up ways to rile each other up" Draco assured as Hermione stared in surprise at him.

"Not as enjoyable but more pleasant" Draco admitted as Hermione actually smiled at him and laughed before glancing down at her menu.

"I could order for us both if you want" Draco assured as Hermione shook her head scrunching her brow in an attempt to read something.

"Are we ready to order" an older waiter -not the same one who served them the wine nor the menu- questioned looking from Draco to Hermione.

"The usual for me please and my lovely partner may need a few more moments" Draco declared before Hermione looked up and quickly closed her menu.

"I'll the charred grill salmon with the green mousse; and I'll have the flowered vegetables please" Hermione ordered as the waiter bowed then collected their menus and just as quickly as he approached disappeared.

"I'm impressed" Draco admitted once the waiter was out of ear shot; Hermione who was sipping her wine looked up at him and arched an eyebrow.

"Usually my dates order salads" Draco declared as Hermione smirked and lowered her glass.

"Well I hate salads" Hermione admitted as Draco nodded with a smile before Hermione tilted her head at him.

"And this isn't a date" Hermione added as Draco smirked but still nodded at her.

"A business dinner" Draco questioned as Hermione nodded before grinning at Draco.

"On you of course" Hermione asked as Draco laughed loudly before nodding and smiling warmly at her.

"Of course" Draco agreed before Hermione chewed her lower lip lowering her eyes while Draco took a sip of his wine and watched her.

"Always working" Draco questioned as Hermione snapped her eyes up to him and flushed before shrugging.

"That is why we're here right" Hermione offered as Draco sighed and lent forward keeping his eyes down.

"I might have lied about that" Draco admitted before lifting his eyes up to Hermione and holding his hands up.

"I have every intention of letting you have your interview" Draco assured causing Hermione to pull her glare back but she still narrowed her eyes at him.

"But I wanted to mend bridges I guess. You can not honestly say we got off on the right foot" Draco asked as Hermione raised her eyebrows and gave him a pointed look.

"Whose fault is that?" Hermione demanded as Draco laughed and lent back in his chair.

"I think we both had our fair share in that; I just want to start afresh because I can assure you I'm not that bad of a person" Draco assured as Hermione pursed her lips for a few seconds before sighing and nodded.

"I'm not stating my name again nor am I shaking your hand" Hermione ordered as Draco gave her a mock pout and folded his arms.

"You like to spoil the fun" Draco pouted before smiling at Hermione who couldn't help but laugh.

And for the rest of the evening the pair found themselves talking, eating and laughing. At one point Draco spluttered his drink across his plate after Hermione told him the story of how she managed to unleash a flock of birds on Ginny's brother Ron.

After the meal was paid for the pair drove back to Hermione's flat where Draco walked her up to the door.

//////

"Honestly I just wanted to buy the Quibbler" Draco exclaimed as Hermione laughed and rolled her eyes turning to face him.

"Just like that... you thought 'I've found some loose change I'm going to buy a newspaper'" Hermione questioned as Draco laughed and nodded.

"Yes; apart for the part about loose change... I stole it from several children's charities we have set up" Draco admitted before laughing loudly at Hermione's blanching face.

With a growl Hermione slapped his arm and wagged a finger at him.

"That wasn't funny" Hermione muttered as Draco nodded his head in-between laughs.

"Oh grow up" Hermione ordered but still smiled before Draco sobered up and smiled brightly at Hermione digging his hands into his pockets.

"So am I forgiven or if not forgiven do I get to be called Draco instead of pig headed wanker" Draco asked as Hermione stared at him.

"I never called you wanker" Hermione squeaked causing Draco to raise his eyebrows at her.

"OK maybe once but never in ear shot" Hermione amended as Draco laughed softly and Hermione rolled her eyes.

"You get to be called Malfoy" Hermione offered as Draco thought for several seconds before shrugging and nodding his head in agreement.

"Fine and I get to call you Granger" Draco declared as Hermione nodded. Draco smiled at Hermione before licking his lips and leaning in only to have Hermione snap her head back and stare up at him.

"What are you doing" Hermione questioned as Draco frowned and lent back before scrubbing at his neck.

"I was leaning into kiss you but considering you had to ask I guess nothing" Draco admitted with a easy smile while Hermione frowned at him, her mind working hard.

"What did you just say" Hermione questioned as Draco raised his eyebrows.

"I was doing nothing" Draco admitted with a shrug as Hermione shook her head and tilted her head.

"No before that" Hermione ordered gaining a confused look from Draco.

"I said I was going to kiss you but you asked what I was doing I thought better of it; why what's wrong with that" Draco asked as Hermione lowered her eyes and thought before shaking her head.

"Nothing; I guess" Hermione assured still in deep thought. Draco lifted a hand to her shoulder and ducked his head to catch her eyes.

"I just wanted to say I had a lovely evening; I'm not expecting anything Hermione" Draco assured as Hermione lifted her head and smiled at him.

"Like you would get away with it if you did" Hermione teased as Draco dropped his hand and laughed.

"I don't doubt I couldn't" Draco agreed as Hermione smiled brightly at him before jerking her thumb towards her flat.

"I better get in and start writing about all your sordid secrets" Hermione admitted causing Draco to laugh again before Hermione tilted her head.

"Could I bribe you not to or is that going against your ethics" Draco joked as Hermione nodded before offering him a softened look.

"I should at least call Ginny; I've probably already got a dozen messages from her already" Hermione admitted causing Draco to nod and step back.

"And Harry as well I guess; he doesn't seem like the type to stop being an over protective brother just because you can take care of yourself" Draco admitted as Hermione rolled her eyes and gave him a 'tell me about it' look before meekly tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.

"Thanks for the dinner Malfoy" Hermione thanked as Draco waved a hand before shoving it back into his pocket.

"My pleasure Granger" Draco admitted before Hermione turned and climbed the steps to the main door.

Before she could get her key in Draco called her name and upon turning she found him leaping up the steps.

Just as she was about to ask him what he wanted Draco gently put his hands against her neck using his thumbs to push her face up and pressed a kiss to her lips.

After a few seconds of surprise Hermione returned the kiss ignoring the pang of deja vu of having to lift her self up on her toes she quickly set back down when Draco pulled back slightly and smirked down at her.

"I wasn't expecting that. I just wanted too" Draco declared in a husky tone to which Hermione nodded dumbly watching as Draco let his hands drop and smile brightly at her before bouncing down the steps.

Hermione watched as Draco climbed into his car and waved goodbye at her before speeding away leaving Hermione to lift her hand to her lips and smile slightly.

However after several seconds she turned to let herself in only to stop when a thought hit her.

She had been kissed like that before.

The Slytherin had kissed her like that.