All The Things I Hate About You, Part XXI

Rating: M

Summary: All The Things, continued. Kate Advent, Day 21.

#21 You are a talented liar

"Are you really that upset about this?" Granger asked, pursing her lips.

Draco shot her a vehement glare, tightening his black silk tie – not because it needed it, his charms were impeccable, but because it gave him something to do with his nervous hands.

"Will you desist?" She snapped, taking one of his hands and lacing it between her own. She held onto him, dragging him through the green flames sparking in their flat and out of the floo at Malfoy Manor.

Draco immediately fought a grimace forming across his face at the spectacular extravaganza his mother had planned for him.

"I hate this," he remarked drily, and under his breath as he began greeting guests so that only Granger could hear him. "I fucking loathe this."

"Interesting," she said between a brilliant smile offered to a guest of his that definitely did not deserve it based on whose side he fought on at the Battle. Granger looped her arm in his as they slowly made their way through the ballroom, toward his mother. "I thought you loved birthdays. I specifically recall, Malfoy, that you were very adamant about celebrating mine."

She arched an accusatory and mocking brow at him, deepening his scowl.

"That was different," he gritted out.

"Hm," she replied, though it was little more than a chuckle hidden by a cough.

"Oh, my darlings!" Narcissa cooed, embracing them both extraordinarily formally. "How wonderful to see you both here and looking so lovely together!" Her dark eyes twinkled at their somewhat coordinated formal dress wear before she turned to her son.

"Mother," he said, kissing her cheeks.

"Draco," she smiled. "My darling son," her cold hands traced the side of his face. "Happy Birthday, my love."

"Thank you, Mother," he forced out, feeling his cheeks begin to ache from all of the smiling.

And it was only beginning.

"Mrs. Malfoy," Granger began, her voice light and like that of church bells as she dimpled at the host.

"Oh, dear," she reprimanded affectionately. "You know we are far beyond those formalities, even for an occasion such as this. Please, Hermione,"

"Right, of course." Granger blinked, managing to let her smile widen sincerely. "Narcissa, I'm afraid I have to trouble you with a favour?"

"Hm," the woman breathed, pursing her lips. "What can I do for you?"

"I'm afraid," her gaze flickered momentarily to Draco before settling back on the calculating eyes of his mother. "The gift I purchased for your son was rescheduled to arrive today and I must be present at the flat in order to sign off for it. You know how irritating the post can be when the package is too big for an owl," she sighed, shaking her head.

"I have to leave," Granger emphasized. Her chestnut eyes, once again, flickered over Draco's slate ones. "Draco doesn't have to come with me, of course. I'm sure I can manage the enormous package without his help, and I'm sure he wouldn't mind waiting another day to receive it. He can stay for this marvellous celebration you put on for him." She squeezed his arm before letting it drop from hers. "He should stay."

"What?" Draco blinked, aghast. "Granger, you can't be serious." He noticed his mother's eyes glint and then leaned in closer to Granger. "You are not leaving me here. How very dare you. I'm never going to teach you another recipe or do another page from that bloody magazine, I swear - "

"No, no," Narcissa interrupted, shooing the two of them away from her. "Nonsense, Hermione. My son will accompany you, of course, and he will help with the package delivery." She shot him a warning glare, "Like the wonderful gentleman he is, won't you Draco?"

"Yes," he replied instantly. "Right."

He blinked several times, unsure of what was happening but tugging Granger away at the first break in conversation and aimed for the floo hastily, tossing a wide-eyed shrug over at Theo and Daphne in the corner.

They emerged back into the flat and Draco rounded on Granger.

"I THOUGHT WE AGREED NO GIFTS? WHAT THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT GETTING ME AN ENORMOUS GIFT? ONE SO BLOODY BIG THAT THE FUCKING OWLS CAN'T DELIVER IT?"

Granger merely smirked.

She crossed her arms over the champagne satin gown and chuckled, "You are so gullible, you know that, don't you, Malfoy?"

"I – What? – What are you talking about?" He demanded.

Granger took his wrist and led him over to the sofa, flicking the tele on and setting up the newest season of Bachelor in Paradise before sauntering over to the kitchen while the credits rolled.

Draco sat, dumbstruck, as the smell of popcorn wafted through the flat.

"Granger," he blinked. "What the fuck is hap - "

"This," she announced, reappearing with two bags of popcorn as well as his favourite wine, "is your birthday gift."

"Huh?"

She laughed, propping her feet over his lap and kicking off her heels, setting the stem glass in his hand, then smirking.

"You - " He stuttered. "You did that on purpose? You lied to my mother?"

Granger nodded vigorously.

"Holy fuck," he breathed, eying the goodies and their comfortable seating as the opening scene of the episode began. "Holy fuck. You are a goddess. I – I can't even – fuck, Granger."

"Your welcome, Malfoy," she winked, then swatted his arm lightly. "Now, close your mouth before any pixies find their way in it. I haven't allotted time today for a trip to St. Mungo's."

"Oh?" He said, regaining some sense of control over his thoughts. "Have you made up an entire itinerary for today? It's not just this, then?"

She scoffed, "Hell no. I have an entire evening of celebration planned for you. None of it," she added with a pointed finger, noticing the protest on the edge of his lips, "involving anyone else. Honestly, I can even disappear and leave you to complete solitude if that's what you want."

Granger shrugged, plopping a handful of buttery popcorn in her mouth.

Malfoy's lips quirked into a smirk, and he flicked his wand to pause the episode.

"What are you doing?" She asked, brows furrowed.

"You," he replied sulkily. Draco placed the food and drinks on the coffee table and then pulled her further down the sofa by wrapping his hands around her dainty ankles. "You," he said again. "Are all I want for my birthday."

Her lips twitched into a wry smile as his hands slid up her legs and peeled the satin from her burning skin. Draco leaned in close, inhaling the smell of roses that was just so perfunctorily her and revelled in it for a solid minute before pressing his lips to hers.

She gasped in his mouth and slid her tongue along his bottom lip. Her hands, always exploratory, immediately began unbuttoning his shirt and loosening the tie he had taken extraneous care to keep secure.

"Are you sure?" She murmured as he broke away to place kisses along her jaw.

"Hm?"

"Are you sure," she repeated, "that this is what you want?"

He knew – Draco knew – what she really meant by that question and was completely thrown off by it. For how could he want anything else? But – he hesitated.

Nothing more –

Purely physical –

He blinked, burying his face in her neck and taking another long inhale of the sweet floral scent before nipping lightly at the fragile skin beneath her collarbone.

"Yes," he replied, aiming for nonchalance. His tone sounded off, so he threw in a shrug of his shoulders and another playful bite. "Sure, Granger. This is fun. This is easy, and it – it doesn't mean anything, right?"

His grey eyes lifted to meet hers. Her pupils were dilated, nearly encompassing the warm brown of her eyes, but her lips parted momentarily before twisting into a gentle smirk.

"Right, yeah," she finally said, nodding.

"Good," he said, chewing the inside of his cheek and wishing he'd been braver – that he'd risked it, risked their friendship and their living situation, risked it all. For her. But he didn't. Again.

"Good," Granger agreed.

A/N - Sorry this one is late, I went out last night and it totally slipped my mind to upload it before I left! The next one will be up shortly. This one is for nideat xx