A/N: Look at all you people favouriting, following and reviewing! Thank you very much!

Days passed, then weeks.

Draco threw himself into work again.

Narcissa despaired of Draco.

Lucius found his way back into Narcissa's favour by providing a simple dinner for two in the Manor's gazebo, decked in hundreds of her favourite flowers and lit by fairy lights that floated in the air. It was a replica of their very first (unchaperoned) date. He also apologised and grovelled profusely.

Well. As profusely as a Malfoy could.

Pansy frantically planned the wedding.

Blaise let Pansy frantically plan the wedding and happily paid for everything without batting an eye.

Arthur dolefully reprised his role as sixth player in the Sunday three-a-side Quidditch matches, Weasley-style. Thoughts of lazing in the deckchair with the Sunday papers became the stuff of dreams.

Hermione started to sleep, eat and look healthy again. Géraud and Bastien kept her occupied with jaunts to all the hippest of Paris haunts, and conducted investigative journeys into the countryside, browsing through antique fairs and tasting wines at the local vineyards.

Géraud even curbed his temper and took her to his family's estate, where she met his parents. They seemed to think that Géraud was 'going through a phase' and they joyfully assumed that he had gotten over this silly business of being homosexual and that Hermione was his girlfriend, until they were corrected.

'I've been 'going through a phase' for thirteen years,' complained Géraud later, rolling his eyes while both lay on Hermione's bed in the estate's guest suite. 'I was expelled from school in Sixth Year for being found in flagrante delicto with the Arithmancy Master.'

Hermione was impressed. 'None of our teachers were worth getting into in flagrante delicto with,' she sighed.

Géraud elbowed her, smirking. 'What about the students? Were any of them worth it?'

'Thinking about it, Slytherin House had quite a few good-looking guys,' mused Hermione. 'Theo Nott was studious, and intense. Then there was Blaise, of course.'

'Of course,' nodded Géraud.

Silence.

'Was Draco good-looking in school?' he asked carefully.

'Yes. He was,' Hermione said simply.

More silence.

'But not as good as he looks today,' she finished.

Géraud linked his fingers with hers.

'He did act like a first-class douche,' said Geraud thoughtfully. 'But acting like a douche seems to be the only way he knows how to act when it comes to women. Deep down in his gorgeous blonde head, maybe he thought he was trying to soften the blow. You know, instead of implying that you were a lady with a price, so to speak.'

'I think you're right,' she said in a monotone.

Geraud subtly checked Hermione for her reaction. While she didn't sound overjoyed to talk about him, there were no tears or anger. He pulled her in close and hugged her.

'Stay out of it,' warned Bastien.

'She still loves him. I'm sure of it.'

'The twat broke her heart. She's going through the grieving process. Besides,' said Bastien, folding his arms, 'how do you know that Malfoy still wants her, let alone loves her? Maybe he's found a woman who can fellate him with the suction of a vacuum cleaner.'

Géraud gave him a cool look. 'I hardly think he'd think he'd go for someone like that.'

Bastien sighed. 'You're going to meddle, aren't you?'

Géraud put his gorgeous nose in the air. 'I prefer the term 'match-make.''

'Merlin preserve me,' muttered Bastien and went to their kitchen to pour a ginormous glass of wine.

A few days after Géraud's conversation with Bastien (let's say Wednesday)

MZ Enterprises

Miss Jennings was immune to most things, but not even she was immune to the charms of the most beautiful man she had ever seen, emerging from the lifts and striding towards her desk with purpose – and carrying her favourite flowers.

'M-may I help you, sir?' she breathed while all the other secretaries stared at him with their mouths open.

'Ah, my dear! You must be Mademoiselle Jennings. I have heard much about you from my very good friend Draco.' He gently took her hand and kissed it. 'But, of course, his description of you does not begin to do you justice. I am Monsieur le comte (he repressed a shudder from using that term) Géraud Guérin.'

Miss Jennings blushed. 'A pleasure, Monsieur.'

'I hope you will forgive me for taking the liberty of presenting you with these blooms, my dear young lady.' Géraud smiled, laying it on thick.

'O-of course. Thank you! They're lovely. How may I help you, Monsieur?'

'Well' – Géraud leaned over her desk a little, and she caught a whiff of his delectable scent – 'I had hoped to surprise Draco and maybe take him out for lunch. We haven't seen in each other in at least a year…'

Dimly, Miss Jennings remembered her duties. 'I – have you – do you – have an appointment?' she stammered.

Géraud shook his head regretfully. 'I wanted it to be a surprise.'

Her face fell. 'Oh, but' –

'Is he in a meeting presently?'

'Well, no' –

'I tell you what,' winked Géraud. 'If you let me in to his office, I will take full responsibility for the fact that I did not call ahead and make an appointment. Scout's honour.'

Miss Jennings caved. 'All right,' she smiled.

Géraud kissed her hand again. 'You are a gem among women,' he vowed, then sashayed off to Draco's office.

Miss Jennings collapsed back onto her chair, overcome.

'Fuck!'

Géraud closed Draco's office door. 'That's a fine way to greet me, old friend,' he remarked.

Draco got up from his desk and met Géraud in the middle of his office. 'Sorry. I was surprised.'

'Good! Mission accomplished.'

Géraud and Draco embraced and kissed in the French manner. Just before Draco pulled away, Géraud put a hand behind Draco's head and moved his own head closer so their lips almost met. Eyes dancing, he whispered 'Still straight?'

Draco laughed. 'Still gay?'

Géraud smiled enigmatically and let him go.

Sitting on the sofas, Draco asked 'How's Bastien?'

'Ah oui, as beautiful and irascible as ever. He would send his love, but he's not very happy with you right now.'

'Is he still sore because I turned down his invitation of a threesome with you?'

'Darling, I'm still sore with you about that. No, he's not happy because of Hermione. And, to be honest, neither am I.'

Draco sat back in his sofa and looked out of the window. 'Oh. You're friends.'

'We are. Close friends.'

After a long silence, Draco asked in a low voice: 'Is she all right?'

'Physically, she is better. She was in an utter state after you left. Bastien was a great help with her recovery. Now – she no longer cries when your name is mentioned. But we take care not to mention it too often.'

Draco swallowed; then sighed. 'Merlin, I fucked things up.'

'You know,' Géraud said thoughtfully, 'Bastien and I wondered if you were gay because of your appalling track record with women. You hid behind your work if things got too intense. Left them wondering what the hell just happened. Any half-qualified Mind Healer would tell you it's classic avoidance behaviour.'

Draco leaned forward and pulled a platinum case out of his pocket. He withdrew a cigarette and lit it.

Géraud observed this with a raised eyebrow. 'When did you start smoking?'

Draco dragged on his cigarette. 'Sometime after I broke Hermione's heart and became the biggest shit on the planet.'

Géraud coughed lightly as smoky fingers unfurled towards him. 'I fail to see the link.'

'I'm not sleeping much. Or eating much. I've got a lot to do.'

'If Bastien were here, he would tell you that the cigarettes make things worse, long-term.'

Draco bared his teeth. 'They do a fucking awesome job in the short-term.'

'Enough changing the subject. Why are you such a douche with women?'

Draco stubbed the cigarette out. 'My brain is wired for business. Profits, losses, balance sheets and annual reports. They're quantifiable. Black and white. With a stroke of my quill buildings go up and jobs are created. I know the risks and take calculated ones.' He stopped, tumbling the platinum cigarette case over his fingers.

'Ah. I think I understand,' said Géraud. 'Whereas women require instinct and intuition to fathom out. They're not quantifiable at all, the same rules never apply twice, and with Hermione, you took a big risk – and cocked it up exponentially.'

'My instinct was to make her financially comfortable to do whatever she wanted to do in her life. Anything at all. But apparently what I did was pay her for services rendered.' Draco slumped into the sofa. 'This is why women and I do not mix.'

Géraud got up and set next to Draco. 'Do you think Bastien and I are a successful couple?'

Draco thought. 'You argue all the time.'

'We've also been together for a long time. How come?'

Draco shrugged.

'We communicate. Sometimes it's with arguments. Sometimes it's with fights. Sometimes we're so close we don't need to say words at all. We know what each is thinking. If we don't, we talk to the other to find out what we need to know. Now, I'm not saying it's easy. Sometimes people don't want to talk, or can't express themselves very well. But maybe – just maybe – if you had talked to Hermione, told her that initially you were with her to distract her from Blaise but you fell in love with her along the way, what do you think she would have said?'

Draco looked sideways at Géraud. 'She would have chopped my cock off.'

Géraud laughed. 'She wouldn't have been happy, of course. She probably would have lost her temper and yelled at you for a bit. But I think that after the dust settled, she would have forgiven you. Because she loved you.'

Draco sighed. 'Can I put you on retainer as my personal relationship advisor?'

Géraud laughed again. 'Darling, you couldn't afford me. But while I'm here, I have some very important questions to ask you. One: on the day you left her, did you love her?'

Draco pulled another cigarette out of his case. 'Yes.'

Géraud pinched the cigarette off him. 'Two: do you love her still?'

Draco glared in the direction of where his cigarette went to, and opened the case again. 'More than ever.'

Géraud whipped the cigarette case away. 'Three: if I could convince you that winning Hermione back may not be the impossible dream you think it is, would you try?'

'Give me back my cigarettes.'

'Stop being a baby.'

'Yes! All right?' Draco threw his hands in the air, frustrated. 'I can't go on like this. I crave her. I want her. I love her. Are you satisfied?'

Géraud lit up the cigarette and tossed the case back to Draco. He took a satisfying drag. 'Good to know.' He stood up and held his hand out to Draco. 'Come on. Let's go and get shit-faced.'

Friday

Paris

Hermione and Géraud were watching a Top Gun/An Officer and a Gentleman marathon in Hermione's flat. Bastien had the night off from the hospital, but when he found out what the evening's entertainment was going to be, said he'd rather stay home and give himself a home-made lobotomy. It would be quicker and achieve much the same result.

In true Géraud style, the marathon was accompanied by Veuve Clicquot and an assortment of fresh fruit, exotic nuts and decadent chocolates. Hermione sighed in contentment. Géraud sure knew how to keep a girl happy.

'Well, my dear, in the case of 'Who Wore It Better?' I firmly support Richard Gere,' Géraud stated firmly as the final credits rolled.

Hermione snorted. 'Utterly ridiculous. Tom Cruise owned that Navy uniform.'

'Are you sure he was tall enough to enlist in the US Navy? Don't they have height restrictions?'

'Who knows? Besides, if the pilots are smaller, they can fit into the planes easier.'

'Hmph. We'll have to agree to disagree. How about 'Best Arse?'

Hermione rolled her eyes. 'Gere,' she mumbled.

Géraud smirked.

They bickered happily among each other while Géraud poured out the last of the champagne.

'I would like to propose a toast,' Géraud announced grandly. Hermione got her glass ready. 'To smiles. Your smile, in particular, which I have seen more and more of, recently.'

Hermione blushed. 'To smiles,' she echoed. They drank.

Hermione put her glass on the coffee table and sank back on the sofa. Turning her head, she watched Géraud play with his glass, twirling the narrow stem this way and that. He looked distracted.

'What's wrong?' she asked, feeling that the mood of the room had changed and she missed it.

Géraud put his glass on the coffee table and ran a hand distractedly through his hair – an unforgivable sin as far as he was concerned.

Hermione scooted closer. 'Géraud?'

He looked up, and her breath was taken away by the look of intensity in his eyes. Having spent so much time around him, she often took his beautiful appearance for granted. Except in cases like this - and she felt arousal stab through her body.

'Hermione,' he said softly. 'You are very special to me.'

'And you are to me.'

'I know I spend a lot of time horsing around with you, playing the role of best gay buddy. But… we both know I'm not gay.'

Hermione nodded slowly.

'Bastien, for all his grumpy ways, loves you too. As a friend… and maybe as something more.'

Hermione's eyes were wide. Bastien was a beautiful man. Fiercely intelligent with a dry, cynical wit. They got on very well. Between him and Géraud, they provided all the intellectual stimulation she craved, as well as the frivolity and fun she never previously had time for.

'What are you saying?' she whispered.

'I would like to know if you would… perhaps one day… consider the possibility of being in a relationship with us?'

Hermione was dumbfounded.

He smiled. 'It's a lot to take in,' he agreed. 'There's no pressure on you to decide now, or ever. If you would prefer not to be with us that way, we'll still love you.'

Tears pricked at Hermione's eyes; then they fell.

Géraud drew Hermione into his embrace. 'Now, don't you dare cry about us,' he admonished. 'Paris is about to run out of cucumbers to slice and put over your eyes.'

Her tears turned to laughter. She snuggled in to him, breathing his addictive scent. The same one that Draco wore. But Géraud wore it first, as far as she was concerned.

'Hermione.' A whisper.

'Yes?'

'I would very much like to make love to you.' Said in a voice so low Hermione felt the words as a breath over her body.

She thought back to the night where he took her virginity so delicately, so intensely. He reacted to her clumsy ministrations with sensitivity. Every touch set her body on fire.

She slowly sat up and looked him in the eye. Then she lowered her head and gave him her kiss.

A/N: What on earth is Géraud up to? Stay tuned!