*The Wrong Lifetime with the Wrong Man*

By yummydreams

oOo

Chapitre Quatorze: La Mort

Harry's and Pansy's bungalow, Bangor

With a pounding headache and extremely dry mouth, Harry woke up and blearily opened his eyes to the morning sun streaming through the clean double glazed windows. He yawned, licked his lips and rubbed his eyes with one hand as his other hand pushed his body off the hard floor. He realised then that he had slept on the floor throughout the whole night and now his back was suffering as a consequence. He stopped rubbing his eyes and reached up to brush his hair back- he didn't know which was worse; his fingers grazing a smooth bald scalp and grasping at the non-existent unruly strands of hair or when he laid his emerald eyes on the bald person who was staring back as equally horrified as he was in living room mirror.

Ah yes, it was one of those morning-afters when you woke up and you wished it was just all a dream. Harry did not forget what happened last night, in fact despite his tension headache, he remembered with crystal clear and vivid remembrance the previous night's antics. Harry looked grimly at his new appearance and managed to reason with his inner conscious why he should not be angry at his new wife for being so deft with her wand. He also tried not to analyse the clip of them kissing too much because he didn't want to know how he felt about that just yet. His brain was screaming at him that it was wrong; she was his former rival in school and they argued over everything ever since they accidentally got married to each other. Harry debated about mentioning his gratification for his new haircut, if he mentioned it, she would get angry and say it was entirely his fault.

Why was it his fault?

Because he fell asleep.

Why should it matter that he fell asleep?

Because he fell asleep on her.

Why does it bother her that he fell asleep on her?

Oh yes...they were in the midst of a tender kiss.

Fuck.

Yes...best to pretend nothing happened and not mention it, concluded Harry in his head, it would just lead to that topic if she got annoyed with him; not that she wasn't already.

He was about to call Mrs Weasley about a quick hair re-growth when his charming other half flounced into the room, their eyes made connected and she sweep a glance up to his shiny bald head and she smirked.

'Good morning, Boy...Potter.' she greeted him.

'Good morning...why aren't you at work?

'It's the weekend, you idiot.' she said viciously, she rubbed her neck and winced when it was stiff; Harry noticed and raised his eyebrows. 'You're such a heavy sleeper, tried to wake you several times to get you to move to a bed but as you know with the siren thing and all, I ended sleeping on this hard floor with you.'

Harry swallowed and stared at the ground. Oh no...the sleep question... he thought.

Pansy folded her arms and tapped her foot in a slow patting pattern as she waited for him to answer. Harry dared himself to return her gaze and he swallowed, breathing slowly- he decided he wasn't going to say anything until she spoke first.

But Pansy just shrugged nonchantly which led Harry to think for a split second that she forgot about the entire thing but then he remembered his new haircut took place this morning and therefore she definitely did remember, he finally concluded that she didn't care. She pointed outside the window and looked expectantly at him.

'Pansy...' he sighed. 'Why do you always do this? I can't read your mind, so stop pointing and tell me.'

'My heel got stuck in the crack in the front porch.' she answered simply.

'And...?' he raised his eyebrow.

'And you need to get it out.' she finished.

Harry laughed at her demand and he folded his arms defiantly. 'What makes you think I'm just gonna do it when you tell me to?'

'I think you'll find that out shortly, Potter.' she said and she matched his pose; folding her arms.

He narrowed his eyes at her, she was up to something, she had something on him, he just knew it from that look. He stood for a moment and frowned as he felt strangely naked without the one personal thing on his person- his wand.

It was twirling between her fingers and she had painted a huge smirk on her face; looking extremely pleased with herself.

'Get on with it.' she drilled. 'Also I want my shoe intact!'

'Bitch.' he muttered as he opened the front door.

'I heard that!' Pansy shouted from the kitchen and Harry shook his head as he closed the door behind him, he eyed the designer heel lodged in the paving with disgust.

Yes, she was determined to make him remember their last night antics.

oOo

A delight sushi bar, Japan

Hermione wrinkled her nose as a waiter walked past with a tray full of sushi topped with prawns- trust her delightful husband to bring her to a sushi restaurant for lunch. She sipped her extremely hot green tea with caution as Draco not-so-modestly fixed his blonde hair in the dark glass division beside their table.

Now remember to behave yourself and let me do all the talking.' he said patronisingly. Before she could make any sort of remark, he suddenly stood up and waved, smiling in such a genuine way Hermione was almost fooled that Draco Malfoy was capable of being nice. As the Japanese couple advanced their way, Draco hurriedly stamped on Hermione's foot causing her to shriek but his hand quickly clamped over her mouth to cut off her squeal. Their business partners suddenly looked shocked to see such violence and Draco swiftly removed his hand and replaced it with his mouth. As he kissed her soundly, Hermione freaked and she thought she was going to be physically sick, she grabbed fistfuls of his hair but he laced his fingers over hers and whispered against her lips in such a way, she would be marvelled if she wasn't so angry right now.

'Don't you dare mess my hair up, I just perfected it!' he muttered. His lips then left hers and he yanked her up onto her feet so fast, she toppled towards him and now that their guests had arrived at the table, he had no choice but to circle his arm around her waist. Given any other circumstance, he would have stepped aside and left her fall flat onto her face.

Hermione was stunned as Japanese flowed out of Draco's lips like music and the Japanese couple responded delightedly. She saw him nod at her and say 'Hermione' so he must have been introducing her.

'This is the Kazayukis.' explained Draco and he let go of her side. 'Go shake their hands.'

Hermione reacted obediently and shook both the couples's hands. Mr Kazayuki was a very well dressed man who seemed to be in his forties but she suspected he was older than he looked as this was usually the case of combination skin. His wife was a very pretty petite woman with a very small waist that was accentuated with a thin belt fastened smoothly over her camel-coloured coat. Draco indicated their seats and helped Mrs Kazayuki into her seat. Once they were all seated, he signalled for a waiter and ordered their drinks in flawless Japanese.

Hermione wasn't usually the one who follow threats but she had to give in to Draco's 'Let me do all the talking' remark for she was completely lost as the conversation was just a flurry of Japanese words. She sat bored as they laughed and the men slapped the table heartily, she would smile every now and then.

'Stop fidgeting.' murmured Draco, the movement of his lips covered as he raised the china cup to his mouth. 'The translator will be here soon and I trust you to entertain Mrs Kazayuki while I talk business matters with her husband.'

Hermione let out a small sign which he responded to look at her reproachfully. After laboriously counting how many fish there were in each of the twelve tanks and how many tall leafy potted plants in the restaurant, Hermione tuned back into their conversation. She caught the Kazayukis looking strangely at her, they looked somehow worried and Draco laughed and shook his head. Then Mrs Kazayuki suddenly clapped her hand in delight and said something to her husband, shaking his upper arm. Suddenly, Mr Kazayuki roared with laughter and slapped the table, Hermione looked questioningly to Draco who looked extremely unimpressed and he was very pale.

'What's going on, Draco?' she demanded when he didn't say anything. She poked him and he flinched, he looked at her finally and he suddenly reached around her waist with his arm and pulled her closer to him. She squeaked: 'What do you think you're doing?'

'Please work with me, Granger.' said Draco slowly, she frowned as he plastered a huge smile on his face; it was rather unnerving.

'Is there a reason you have your hands on my person?' she snapped.

The Kazayukis continued to babble at him excitedly and the husband even took out his phone, Draco turned to face her, his arm still wrapped tightly around her and his other free hand lifted her chin up and she shied away from his touch.

'Look, Granger, I know you're a shit actress but can you please work with me? These two know we just got married and they said we don't seem very passionate about each other. They just suggested that we should employ the services of their sex therapist who apparently is very eager and persistent. I don't know about you but I don't want to have sex with you!' he said quickly and he was still smiling.

'You aren't serious!' she said, horrified.

They both looked to their company who was eyeing them with interest, Mr Kazayuki still had his phone in hand. Draco babbled in Japanese quickly but the man laughed and shook his head, he looked fiercely at them, pointing to his phone and Draco groaned quietly- Hermione did not understand a word of Japanese but she knew that her husband was failing miserably. She grabbed his blonde head and mussed up his hair as she threw herself into his arms, Draco flinched in surprise but he quickly circled her waist in his hold, she could feel his fingers skim up her spine and she shivered. Meshing their lips together in a hurried false passion, Draco bit her lip (a little too hard- just to spite her? She didn't know) and she gasped. He took no time to push his tongue inside her mouth and the battle of their lips and tongues began- neither party giving in. Hermione tightened her grasp on his blonde hair a little harder, to pay back for the pain he caused her by biting her lip. Draco winced against her mouth and he seized her waist again; crushing her body against his and she whimpered as the air knocked out of her lungs. Hermione internally growled and she loosened her grip on his head, sneaking her hand into his shirt and yanked his shirt so forcefully open, taking care to dig her nails into the pale skin on his chest and he growled out loud. She felt his hand wander towards her upper clothing vengefully and she pulled back quickly, breathing heavily.

The Kazayukis looked stunned as the couple in front of them were tousled and mussed, breathing heavily. Mr Kazayuki put his phone back in his blazer and smiled.

Draco fixed his shirt and he glanced down at the angry red marks on his chest, he grimly fixed his hair.

'You bitch...you'll pay for that.' he muttered quietly.

oOo

One hour later, still in the (delightful) sushi bar, Japan

The interpreter came after their lunch and the young woman had pulled up a chair beside Hermione and Mrs Kazayuki.

'Mrs Malfoy is it?' smiled the interpreter.

'That's right.' answered Hermione, feeling a bit uncomfortable.

'Mrs Kazayuki said she heard about your fantastic research group from your husband. She wants to know more about it.'

'Well...'

oOo

Harry's and Pansy's bungalow, front porch, Bangor

Of course Harry did not perform Pansy's request...no demand... straightaway, he waited for approximately half an hour by sitting on the blue painted bench outside their front porch and watched the clouds float past in the light blue sky. He eyed his task reproachfully, the blasted thing was shiny and its heel was wedged tightly between the cracks. He had an internal debate again, he had to resist! If he went ahead and got her heel out then that would admit she had a hold on him. He couldn't have her stealing his wand every time she wanted something done!

As his mind finally exhausted all his options, he sighed and stood up, brushing off a ladybird that flew onto his knee. He rolled up his sleeves and headed straight for her shoe.

oOo

Sushi bar, Japan (still)

The men had been negotiating their business contract for the past hour and Hermione was still conversing with the wife. It was a bit strange at first, she didn't know whether to look at Mrs Kazayuki or the interpreter herself but eventually, she settled her focus on the wife while the interpreter relayed the information back and forth in English and Japanese. When the petite woman was finally satisfied with knowledge on Hermione's research group, her next question threw her a little back.

'What?' said Hermione rudely.

'Mrs Kazayuki asked what sex position do you and your husband normally-'

'I heard what you said!' Hermione said flabbergasted.

The interpreter shrugged and waited for her answer to translate. Mrs Kazayuki looked expectantly at her company sitting across the table and Hermione flushed red.

'I'm not answering that...' began Hermione. 'Why does she even want to know?'

The interpreter spoke quickly in Japanese then looked at Hermione.

'She said that she noticed you didn't mention that you had children and your physique is unlike one has bore children before. She is suggesting that your usual sex position is not doing you and your husband any favours in the children department.'

'Draco and I are not-' started Hermione but she quickly stopped herself, she took a deep breath and then exhaled. 'Draco and I rather focus on our careers for the time being before having a family.'

Mrs Kazayuki seemed displeased with her answer and she suddenly smiled as she said something and she giggled. The interpreter exchanged her words into English fluently.

'WHAT!' cried Hermione so loudly, everyone stopped in the restaurant to look at the direction of the outburst. Draco narrowed his eyes at her and she looked down in her lap; mortified.

When the interpreter began to repeat, Hermione snapped her head up and looked pleadingly at the woman.

Graphic details of Mr Kazayuki's fetishes in the bedroom was something she did not want to hear!

oOo

Outside the delightful sushi bar, Japan (finally)

'Mrs Kazayuki spoke highly of you.' said Draco in an almost accusing tone as he helped her put her coat on as an act. 'What was with all the screaming?'

'You don't want to know.' Hermione said quickly. 'Can we please go home? I can't take anymore of this.'

'Unfortunately not, the Kazayukis is demanding we go to the hot springs with them.'

'Tell them I'm sick.'

'But you're not.'

'Okay, well I'm telling you now I don't feel well!'

'Look Granger, come along, the hot springs are excellent and these are very private and not many people in the world get a chance to visit these ones. Not even with all the money in the world! It's meant to be very relaxing so I assure you Mrs Kazayuki will not be talking to you.' he reasoned.

'Not a chance, Malfoy.' muttered Hermione as they left the restaurant. Mr Kazayuki helped his wife into their limosine and he stood by the door waiting for them.

'I'll donate a thousand galleons to your research group.' sighed Draco.

'Make that ten thousand.' she countered.

'Are you fucking serious?' he swore under his breath.

'I can't joke, you know that Malfoy.' Hermione said honestly.

Draco looked at Mr Kazayuki who was looking expectantly at them and he sighed.

'Get in the car.' he said. 'I'll get my accountant to transfer the money tomorrow.'

'Today.' Hermione insisted.

'FINE. I'll do it now.'

Hermione grinned and looked over to the Mr Kazayuki and she deliberately kissed Draco on the cheek.

'I could get used to be married to you.' she said and she got into the car.

'That makes one of us.' he muttered under his breath, and then he spoke to his business client that he needed a few minutes to make a call.

oOo

Hot springs located near the snowy mountains, Japan

'The money went through? That's great, I'll talk to you soon.'

'Jeez, do you really not trust me?' Draco's voice came behind her and Hermione set her mobile down on top of her neatly folded bundle of clothes.

She tightened the robe around her body and as she turned round, she said matter-of-factly: 'This is you we're talking about, Malfoy.'

And there he was, Draco Malfoy standing in all his birthday suit.

'Oh my god! You're naked!' she shrieked and covered her eyes. 'What are you doing!'

'Well...I'm standing here talking to you.' he answered honestly.

'No!' she cried, covering her eyes and shaking her head. 'Why are you naked?'

'You're supposed to go to these springs naked, love. Besides it's nothing you haven't seen before.' he said cheekily.

Hermione flushed angrily and turned her back to him, lowering her hands. 'Aren't you meant to be with Mr Kazayuki in a separate pool? Where is Mrs Kazayuki?'

'Yes I thought so too. Apparently he booked a spring for him and his wife and another pool for me and you.' he said, he came closer to her and she could see him point his bare arm from the corner of her eye. 'Shall we?'

'We're not going in together!' she said adamantly.

'Well suit yourself; I'm not wasting this opportunity! Mind you, I'm going to be a while so you can just stand here if you want.'

'Fine but you go first. I'll come second.'

'My, Granger, how chivalrous of you to put my sexual needs before yours.' he commented.

'Just go!' said Hermione, turning very red. She was getting very hot and flustered but she refused to take off her robe until he was gone. 'No looking behind you!'

Draco laughed and she turned round, covering her eyes again and peeked through her fingers, she saw a flash of his bottom and she adjusted her vision higher. Finally, she heard him splash in the water so she followed him after and true to his word, he sat with his back to her.

'Don't look.' she reminded and she began to remove her robe.

'You do really have small boobs you know.' he commented. 'Your chest looked so flat in that robe. Ever considered surgery?'

'Fuck you.' she growled as she dipped her toe into the bubbling spring, she shivered as the delightfully warm water lapped around her foot. She slowly emerged herself in the water and she looked at her husband who lounged back against the rim of the spring with a neatly folded white cloth pressed to his eyes. She followed his example and picked up another ebony cloth from the nearby basket and waded to the furthest end of the spring from him before choosing a perfect spot to relax and unwind.

oOo

Harry's and Pansy's bungalow, kitchen, Bangor

Pansy hummed as she dusted icing sugar over her freshly baked fruit pies. She sucked on her finger and dipped it into the icing sugar packet before licking off the sweet white powder on her digit. She cleaned her hands under the tap and then checked her watch.

As if on cue, Harry walked up grumpily, he threw something onto the counter and Pansy scowled as her heel nearly skidded into her batch of treats. He stomped to the fridge (his fridge- sans padlock) and removed a beer from the upper shelf; he opened it easily and chugged on it.

'Thank you, Boy Wonder, would you like a fruit tart?'

'No.' he answered shortly. 'Where's my wand?'

She pointed to the table where it lay beside the fruit bowl, Harry grunted and snatched it, keeping it in his hand and she shrugged at his rejection of her baked goods.

'Fine, there's more for me then.' she said carelessly.

'I hope you choke on them.' he said nastily.

'That's hardly threatening, Potter.' she said with her arms folded.

'Okay...well then, I hope you get really fat from them. You're tubby as it already.' he said and he left the kitchen on that note.

Pansy lowered the fruit tart from her lips and furrowed her eyebrows; frowning. He wasn't serious was he?

oOo

Their private hot springs, Japan

He thought he felt the rush of freezing cold wind first before the loud rumbling sound, or was it the other way round? Either way, the hot water around his body was splashing around furiously, the wood under his arms was trembling and a piercing wail came behind him.

Draco snatched the towel off his face and he wiped his eyes immediately, blinking several times to regain his vision. The trees that were circling their private spring were battling with the wind, their long sword-like branches shook off their liberal dusting of powdery snow as they fought against the screeching wind. The rumble continued its crescendo hum and it started to hurt Draco's ears.

He scrambled out of the hot wild water fast and bounded towards the trees and he looked up, his hand shielded his eyes from the bright frenzied light from the violently swinging lanterns hung on the porch. It was a dark night but he looked up the snowy mountains and saw a dark ash coloured mist running in their direction.

Just as he realised this strange tumbling mist was an avalanche, it was too late to move and Draco Malfoy was buried fast.

oOo

It was cold.

So cold.

He never felt anything like it.

He was never a fan of coldness, he would rather be too hot than too cold.

All those times he complained to Pansy when he was too cold.

But that was nothing compared to this temperature.

It was so cold.

He couldn't possibly survive.

But he did.

oOo

A hand erupted through the snow like a volcano, it groped its surroundings and all it could grasp was handfuls of the powdery stuff. It stretched further and tickled a bristly object, its digits fumbled desperately to catch hold but it failed miserably. The hand retreated back to the hole where it came from and there was no more sign of life for a few seconds.

One...two...three...four...fi-

The hand exploded out again and managed to seize the sturdy branch in its grip, it dragged it back and forth towards the hole until the snow around the elbow loosened up. With one energetic pull from the owner, another hand, also head and shoulders emerged from the snow.

Draco surfaced with a loud gasp, spraying wet snow from his mouth like a brilliant fountain, his teeth chattered and he wheezed heavily as his body wracked with violent muscle spasms. He let go of the branch carefully and planted his hands on the firm snow. It was painfully cold and his entire body was aching but he managed to drag himself out.

He was lucky to be alive, for when the avalanche first hit him, he flew back into the air and smacked into a lean tree, he held onto this for dear life until its thin spine snapped and he flew back again, he hit several trees again and it was these woody shields that saved him from being buried too deep.

Draco wheezed again, his chest labouring heavily with each breath as he lay back on the snow. It was cold but it eased the pain from the whiplashes on his back from the shaarp branches. He closed his eyes and tried to modulate his breathing then he suddenly snapped his eyes open.

Hermione.

Wincing, he forced himself up. His body temperature was so cold, the snow did not melt on his pale skin and fell off smoothly instead. His aching ears perked up a little and he could hear the distant rumbling of the avalanche. He looked back towards the mountain in its inky blackness, he could barely see anything. Squinting his eyes he spotted a pointed metal jutting out of the snow far up the slope, he recognised it as the condo's roof piece and he dragged his feet towards it.

Draco tried to hurry his feet but his cold, tense muscles screamed in agony with every step. He gritted his teeth and ploughed on. He reached his destination, panting breathlessly, and he looked desperately at the snowy ground beneath his bare feet. Below must be the spring, he stamped his foot down and noticed the snow was a lot looser than the snow further down the slope. He imagined it may have been due to the hot springs melting the powdery snow. He stamped again; this time with both feet, the ground below him quavered again and sank a little deeper. He mustered all his energy and jumped again. The snow was sinking steadily and he repeated his actions until finally he saw pale fingers emerge out of the snow from the corner of his eye.

He bounded towards it and kneeled to the ground, he grasped the hand and identified it as female; long, thin slender fingers and a soft palm. Draco felt it grip his hand in response and he hurriedly dug out the snow around the hand, where was his wand when he needed it!

He only got as far as the elbow when the hand made its last stretch and then it collapsed down.

Unmoving.

'No...' spoke Draco, his voice hoarse, he shook the hand to initiate an effect but it lay still in his grasp, he sucked on his numb freezing fingers in his barely warm mouth to regain a little sensation in them and quickly planted them onto the radial artery on her wrist.

No pulse.

Thick tears leaked from Draco's eyes; it was a wonder they did not freeze.

With a deep breath, he screamed out towards the dark night sky.

oOo

oOo

A/N Hermione's dead?

You know the drill, REVIEW!