IT HAD TO BE YOU

By Kate Dessi

Chapter 21

Exactly five days had gone by without sight nor sound from Draco. Hermione successfully distracted herself from his absence by working eleven-hour shifts and shutting herself in the Janus Thickey Ward on fifth floor, taking care of the permanent resident patients there, giving them their maintenance medicine. It was crazy for her to do so, but when she went home she hardly notice how lonely her bed was due to her exhaustion.

She even went to work on her days off.

By Monday night, she was shooed away by the overall Head Healer of St. Mungo's from the place around five in the afternoon and demanded not to come in to work the next day not before twelve noon.

"Healer Granger," the bearded middle-aged Head Healer of St. Mungo's, Rexton Tabbart, said when he summoned her into his office. "Please go home, we really are grateful for your assistance in every department of this hospital, but please," he pleaded, "Get home and get some rest before you become a patient. Really," he said when her eyebrows shot in surprise. "You don't think I won't be able to notice, the bags under your eyes, your bloodshot eyes. And also, the other healers and patients are complaining with your scary demeanor."

"Excuse me? Scary demeanor?" She gasped.

"Pardon my choice of words," Healer Tabbart said quickly. "Go home," he added softly.

"B-but- "

"And I don't want to see you tomorrow before noon."

"But- "

"Now," he barked.

Hermione jumped. "Yes sir," she muttered meekly as she turned to leave his office."

"Oh, by the way, Healer Granger," he called again.

"Yes sir?"

"Remember: I don't want to see your face tomorrow morning. Come here around noon or one in the afternoon, whichever you prefer."

"But why?" She all but whined.

"Just do as I say, or you will be dismissed from this hospital."

"What?"

"You heard me. Now go."

She whimpered and ran from the office room. Really, she hadn't meant to interfere and be a hindrance, but she needed to do something. She went to her office, fixed her paperwork and leapt to the locker room, changed out of her healer robes and went home.

The sun was still up when she entered her empty flat. She collapsed on her couch with a loud sigh, prompted her feet up the coffee table loudly and groaned out loud... and then she thought of Draco.

She didn't think she was ready to face him yet. Really. What would she say? She was at a loss. Wasn't there a book on relationships when a woman messed up? Of course there's none, she scoffed at herself.

Do you know how much I had to struggle to give myself to you, of all people? She told him, well more like yelled at him. Which was now she realized the wrong thing to say especially because she didn't mean it.

She sat up at that thought. She didn't mean it!

She was angry and she lost control of what came out of her mouth. She gave herself to him because she wanted him, all of him. She didn't fully trust him because she was scared shitless because there was a possibility that Rayna would want him back in spite of not wanting the baby. And who the hell could resist a girl like Rayna? Damn herself and her insecurities! In her defense, she led herself to believe that the child was his so if that were true, she wouldn't have to beat herself up over it when it was confirmed.

But the child wasn't his! And she believed him now, truly and wholly. It had all been because of her stupid insecurities.

Suddenly, hope filled her whole being, her spirits lifted. She didn't want things to end with Draco. If it had been another man and failed to make her as happy as he did, she would let things be and move on. But she couldn't. Because she loved him.

And without further ado, she checked to see if she didn't look as terrible as Rexton Tabbart had said in the looking glass. She went immediately to the fireplace and flooed over to E.M.L. Potions Co.

The sight that greeted her made her step back and in doing so, hit her head on the bricks of the fireplace. Cursing at herself for her clumsiness, she carefully docked from the fireplace this time and straightened herself, brushing at the soot that fell on her clothes.

With a blank expression, she approached the reception table where Draco was sitting on the table laughing over something with that Kathleen. Or Kaitlyn. Or Keira? Whatever the hell her name was. Unable to help herself, she glared hatefully at the said woman when she laid a hand on Draco's arm.

"Really, Kat, thank you for- " Draco was saying.

"Shut up," Kat murmured, smiling up at him brilliantly. "I don't mind doing the head potioneer favors. I'd be glad to cater you."

"Cozy," Hermione muttered bitingly and Draco whipped his head around. His smile disappeared when he caught sight of her.

"Hermione, what are you doing here?" He asked, frowning now.

"Why, am I interrupting something?"

"Not really," the woman on the desk practically purred.

Hermione glowered and fought the urge to leap over the desk and beat the shit out of that woman because she still had her hand on his arm. That bint. "Since I'm not interrupting anything," she said through her clenched teeth, "Do you mind if I talk to Draco for a moment?"

Smiling slyly, the other woman let her hand trail down his arm for a moment before leaning back on her chair. "No problem."

Feeling defiant, Hermione drew closer to Draco and kissed him soundly on the lips, letting her lips linger on his longer than necessary. When she pulled away, Draco raised an eyebrow at her while the other woman gasped. Clearly she didn't know Draco had a girlfriend.

"Your office," Hermione bit out. "Now."

Without a word, Draco jumped down from the desk. He gestured to a hallway on his right. She followed just a pace behind him as he disappeared into a room secured by double doors. She locked the door behind her manually and she turned to her boyfriend who was standing in the middle of the room, his hands lame at his sides as he looked at her expectantly.

Instead of throwing herself in his arms as she had originally planned when she left her flat, she glared at him as she mimicked spitefully, "I'd be glad to cater you."

Draco adapted an annoyed expression. "I know you didn't come here to insult my coworkers." He crossed his arms against his chest.

She closed her eyes as if in pain and leaned against the closed doors behind her, jealousy still ringing brightly in her veins. She had never been jealous because of another woman before (excluding Lavender Brown, may she rest in piece, during sixth year). Not even when she was with Oliver who was off gallivanting all over the world with fan girls surrounding him, she never got jealous. Well, she shouldn't be surprised. She had been experiencing new things with Draco ever since they got together.

"Hermione?" Draco asked, concern evident in his voice.

She opened her eyes. "Hi," she said in a small voice.

"Hi yourself," he replied carefully. "Why are you here?"

"I miss you," she said softly. "I miss you so much."

He didn't say anything and frowned at her.

She felt compelled to continue speaking. "You were right," she said. "I didn't trust you enough but it's not you. It's me. I was just scared that I might lose you to Rayna," she laughed shortly, bitterly, "I had this notion at the back of my mind that if somehow the child is really yours, you'd have to get in touch with her all the time and she might want you back. Of course, who could resist Rayna? She's very beautiful."

"She may be that," Draco agreed quietly. "But I prefer you."

Hermione gave him the smallest of smiles. "Insecurity is a funny thing. It tends to grow into something awful until you get blinded by it and it consumes your entire being."

"You, Hermione Granger, insecure?" He muttered incredulously. "You're too intelligent to warrant that emotion. Or so I thought."

"Actually, I'm almost always unsure of myself. I only hide it so well."

He gave her a doubtful look.

"And insecurity is not an emotion," she added. "It's a state of the mind." He rolled his eyes and she took this as a sign that she was finally breaking through him so she went straight for the goal. "Draco, I didn't mean what I said when I told you that I have to struggle greatly to give myself to you. That was a complete and total lie. I was angry, you see," she licked at her suddenly dry lips. "And when I'm angry, I lose control of what I say."

He uncrossed his arms from his chest. "Really?"

"Really," she confirmed and she felt her heart skip a beat.

"You really didn't mean it?"

"I didn't mean it."

He gave out a sigh in relief and the frosty mask he wore slid off fully. He now wore a... hopeful expression? Hermione wasn't sure so she had to make sure.

"Are you still mad?" She whispered.

"No."

"Can I jump in your arms now and kiss you until we turn blue?"

"Ye- wait, what?"

She smiled fully. She took a step forward, another one, and then three more until she was standing a few feet away from him. His small smile was the encouragement she needed and literally leapt forward in his arms. He stumbled miserably and thankfully, his desk was there to catch them as she collapsed against him. Her hand crept behind his head and she pushed it until her lips crashed with his. She moaned at the relief that went through her as he kissed her back with equal enthusiasm she showed. Merlin, she missed the feel of his lips on hers.

The thought of almost losing him because of her stupidity had her whimpering against his mouth. She kissed him harder for a long moment before pulling away from him. She laid a hand on his cheek, her eyes focused intently on his.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. "You know, for being such a total insecure bitch."

He chuckled softly. "You're not a total insecure bitch. You're just a plain old bitch."

"Thank you for that," she muttered dryly.

"Anyway," he said loudly. He shuffled until he was sitting fully on top of the desk and she was snug on his lap, with her legs draped over his. "You said something about kissing me until we turn blue?"

She grinned, her fingers curling to pinch his cheek. "Cheeky, Malfoy."

He rested his forehead against hers and the arms around her tightened. "I missed you."

She pulled away from him. "It didn't look it when you were flirting with Kat," she spat out the name venomously. "In fact, you two looked pretty cozy. You didn't even notice when I came in and I made a great racket. That's saying something, isn't it, Malfoy?"

"So that's what the show earlier was about?" He guessed, his lips twitching on the corners, referring to the kiss in front of their receptionist. That one really surprised him because she positively hated public displays of affection. She even objected to holding hands sometimes.

She jumped off his lap, ducking his arms that tried to reach for her. She waved a finger in his face. "Y-you were openly flirting with her. Kat, thank you for this bloody romantic gesture," she lowered her voice to mimic his. "I ought to wring her neck and y-yours. Especially yours. You know that she likes you, Malfoy. She said so herself back during the party, or don't you remember? And what are you doing to her blatant flirting? You encouraged her. Gazing into her eyes, laughing with her- Merlin, give me one good reason not to hex your bollocks off right now."

He merely looked amused. "You know, you're really funny when you're jealous."

"I'm not jealous." She made a face at his ridiculous notion.

"Yes, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Whatever, Granger. Why are you even here? You're supposed to be in St. Mungo's."

"They kicked me out."

"Kicked you out?" He gaped at her.

"Yes, yes," she said impatiently. "They made me leave early because I've been working too much, or so they say. I've got the rest of the day off and the whole morning off tomorrow as well." She frowned. "I think I should just quit and set up my own clinic or something. Anyway, why were you flirting with the receptionist? You're supposed to be working."

He rolled his eyes. "It's none of your business what I do during my working hours. But since you're dying to know, I was thanking her because I made her run around doing errands the entire week because we're short staff around here for the time being."

"Right," she muttered sarcastically. "I'll leave you to your work."

He stood up as Hermione started walking towards the door. "But I thought we're going to spend the day kissing until we turn blue." He grinned roguishly.

Hermione turned back and smiled softly at him. "We can do that later... that is, if you're coming over."

"Definitely," he murmured as he caught up with her again. He carefully placed his lips on hers. He kissed her again, softly at first and then his tongue came out to lick her lips, running over them until they opened for him. They stayed like that for a long moment, kissing intensely, savoring each movement of their lips, making up for a whole week apart.

"Never mind," she whispered when they pulled apart to catch their breath. "Never mind." She kissed him again, wrapping her arms around his neck tightly, bringing her body to mold against his body.

Draco moaned in appreciation, lifting her form slightly and he dragged the two of them, around his desk and collapsing on his office chair. They fell into the similar position before: her arms around his neck, his arms around her waist, their torsos a few inches apart.

This continued for a very long moment. That was, until they were interrupted by a knock on the doors. Draco pulled away, groaned in annoyance. "Yes?" He called out to the closed door.

"Draco." It was the receptionist. "Mr. Liebeck wants the monthly report immediately."

"Draco?" Hermione raised an eyebrow at him.

He shrugged. "Tell Liebeck that I'm still going over it, give me fifteen minutes tops!" He called out to the receptionist.

"Okay," the woman behind the door replied brightly.

"I'm sorry if I distracted you from work," Hermione said as she stood up from his form. "I'll see you later?"

"Definitely," he answered, smirking. "You might want to, err, fix yourself a little before you go out."

"What do you mean?" She responded lightly and walked out of the office promptly, down the hallway, stopping before the reception. She fluffed her hair now, combed through it frantically. She rebuttoned the first four buttons of her blouse that Draco had undone, tried to straighten the wrinkles on her clothes before smiling at the gaping receptionist.

"Stay away from my boyfriend or I'll have leeches crawling out of your nose," Hermione said as sweetly as she can manage with an equally sweet, but fake smile plastered on her face.

They heard Draco's loud laugh from the end of the hallway. Smirking in response, she proceeded to floo back to her flat to wait for Draco.