Chapter 41

Inside Cafe Leyla

Hermione sat up when Ron entered with Malfoy, almost hitting her head on a low hanging picture frame.

"You okay?" Ginny rested a hand on her shoulder.

"Yeah, just being inconspicuous, you know." Hermione rubbed the back of her head.

"What is he doing here?" George whispered.

"It's not as if we're in Croatia, the ministry's just around the corner," Hermione replied.

"So then why do you look like you've seen a ghost?" George asked Hermione.

Ginny raised her eyebrows, "Yeah, did something happen between you two?"

Ron walked up, putting his jacket over the open chair at their table, "I'm gonna get my food, be right back."

Hermione pushed her plate aside and rested her head on the table. "I don't know what I'm doing," she moaned.

"With Malfoy? Just get him one of those little plastic tubes to run around in," George offered, "Ferrets love those."

Hermione smiled a little, "I just mean… I don't know how to seduce anyone. How am I supposed to make this happen?"

Ginny had a little giggle in her voice, "Just do what I told you."

"Well I'm clearly past being aloof. After last night, he's gonna think I want him to tell his mum," Another wave of humiliation washed over her.

"So? That is what you want, right?" A little piece of shredded lettuce from George's sandwich clung to his five o'clock shadow.

"Well eventually they're going to have to be public," Ginny corrected, "But Hermione shouldn't have to ask. He should want to tell his mom about her." She tossed her red hair over her shoulder.

Ron sat down with a grin, "Duh."

George raised an eyebrow, "What would you know about this, Ron? Correct me, but I'm pretty sure you started all your relationships more or less by accident."

"I did not," Ron protested.

George scoffed, "Lavender Brown practically had to drag you into noticing her. You spent years pussyfooting around Hermione. Thank god Blaise had balls enough to ask you out, because you're hopeless."

Ron's eyes narrowed, "Okay, I know what I'm doing in the end, right 'Mione?"

Hermione grinned teasingly, "You do not want me to answer that."

Ron's ears turned pink, "Like you know what you're doing any more than me."

Hermione shook her head, undeterred, "Hey, I admit it, I'm asking for help."

"You're not hopeless, 'Mione," Ginny threw a pointed look at her brother, "It's a tricky maneuver. You have to balance aloofness with warmth, and lead him around until he notices his feelings for you."

George shook his head, "I admire and fear you, Gin."

"You should," Ginny bragged.

Hermione shook her head, "I mean, I get the concept, but I'm not sure specifically how to go about it. We're seeing each other about every night, but we don't talk very much."

"No, that's good. If he sees you a lot, you'll become part of his routine," Ginny sipped her coffee, "Then when the pattern is broken, he'll miss you."

"Well how long does that take?" Hermione bit her lip.

"Depends on the guy," Ginny mused, "I'm betting a long time for Malfoy."

"Probably," Hermione agreed.

"Mainly, right now, you should get him to see you as someone who's desirable, someone datable," Ginny considered, "That's why I thought it would be a good idea to make him jealous. If he thinks other people see you that way, it can only help."

"Well Ron makes him pretty jealous," Hermione admitted.

Ron perked up, "Really?"

"Well probably not so much now that you're with Blaise," George laughed.

"Well actually, he really just thinks I'm pining over Ron," Hermione corrected.

Ginny pulled a face, "Not good. He thinks you're pathetic."

George sucked in a breath, "Ouch."

Hermione's mouth fell open, "He does not."

Ginny explained, "He thinks Ron doesn't see you as datable."

"But that's not true," Ron refuted.

"I'm not saying he's right!" Ginny protested, "I'm just trying to guess what he's thinking, from what Hermione told me."

Hermione hesitated, "Well okay, if he thought that, then… what could I do?"

"I mean jealousy is the easiest way because it hits two birds with one stone," Ginny explained, "He'll think he can't have you , which will make him wonder if he wants you. And he'll see you being desirable to other people."

Hermione rubbed her temple, "But isn't that… bad?"

"All's fair in love and wizard's chess," George intoned.

Ginny shrugged, "You asked how to do it, that's how to do it."

Ron sipped his drink,"Oh, 'Mione, stop worrying."

"But I don't have much time," Hermione knew she sounded whiny, and she didn't care.

Ginny rubbed Hermione's shoulder, "I know. And Harry's not helping."

"No, sometimes I think he's right," Hermione admitted, "But how would I even tell Malfoy about the prophecy, if I wanted to?"

"Do you want to?" Ginny asked smoothly.

"Sometimes… I don't know though, I don't know what I want to do," Hermione bit out.

"Do you think he would help you, with the prophecy I mean?" George asked.

"Maybe?" Hermione looked at her hands as if suddenly fascinated by her knuckles.

"So then if that's what you're thinking, just tell him," Ron offered.

Hermione hesitated.

"What's wrong?" Ginny said quietly, hazarding a glance at Malfoy eating alone across the room.

"I… I'm not sure. I just hate forcing anyone to do anything, and I hate that I chose to force him already, and I hate that I have to do this," Hermione closed her eyes.

"It's not your fault, 'Mione," Ron put down his sandwich, "Merlin's Midwife, we all know that."

"And last night... I made him lie to his mom, and I just felt terrible," Hermione replied.

Ron looked at her, his eyes cloudy like sea glass that had turned opaque from years of hard wear, "I'm sorry."

"I'm afraid of telling him," Hermione bit out, "I'm really afraid of his reaction. I feel like… like I'm forcing everything on him. I asked him to start this, and I'm... aiming to make the prophecy true."

Everyone was silent, then Ginny laid a hand over Hermione's.

"I think… I think you may have wanted to start something with him. I think you saw him again and… maybe you thought the charm was right," Ron began carefully, " And the prophecy, though it's serious… was kind of an excuse. I know you have to do this because it's important, because people could die. But… He's your soulmate, with or without the prophecy. That's forever."

"Oh." Hermione said softly.

"For a long time, I've been thinking that." Ron said quietly.

Hermione let that sink in.

Maybe Ron was right. Hermione always had trouble following through on emotions. It was easier, in a lot of ways, to be alone, because having someone close complicated things. Having something between them made it easy to pretend that she wasn't having very real feelings for him. Having something between them made things logical, and clinical, and safe.

But Malfoy had been right when he said she wasn't safe alone with him. Only, it was her heart that wasn't safe.

And Hermione and her heart had lost touch in the last few years.

But at her core, she knew the prophecy would always always between them, whether she told him or not. She would always wonder if it would have come true on it's own, or if their pasts would have kept them apart. She would always wonder if being soulmated was enough to connect them. And telling him would just give him that doubt too. Forever.

Forever was a long, long time.

Her mind running a mile a minute, she rubbed her temples anxiously.

Ginny nudged her, "Ask him to come over to your place."

Hermione bit her lip, "Now?"

Ginny smiled, "No time like the present."

Ron had an odd look on his face, "Do you want to see him tonight?"

"But…" She struggled.

"Then do it. I know there's the prophecy and blah blah blah whatever. But don't be afraid to talk to him," Ron asserted.

"I'm not afraid," Hermione crossed her arms over her chest.

"I just mean…" He seemed to be struggling with what to say next, "Figure it out for yourself, instead of beating yourself up over something you can't control."

Ginny smiled, "Yeah. The more you're all 'doom and gloom I have to save the wizarding world,' The more you sound like Harry."

Hermione shook her head, "Perish the thought."

George smacked an open palm on the table with a grin, "Alright, now go get some."

"George!" Hermione protested, almost falling away from the table with a laugh.

Malfoy looked up warily as she approached.

"Miss Granger, what are you doing away from the office?" He raised an eyebrow, his voice low, "If I find things have been neglected in my absence I'm afraid I may have to resort to disciplinary action."

She blushed right up to her hairline, "A simple hello would suffice."

"Hello, Miss Granger, do you want a spanking?" He offered, a silly smirk on his face.

"Maybe tonight, if you're not busy?" She forced herself to stay firm and confident.

He straightened, "I thought you may have been upset after last night…"

Her stomach knotted, "I felt really tired suddenly and I wanted to get home before I fell asleep on you."

He smiled, "Oh good, I thought I'd fucked up."

"No, no," She reassured, "I just know that we don't sleep over…"

He smiled, "What a relief. I can't go back to my hand now, Granger, your mouth ruined me."

"R-really?" She burst out, "I mean, uh…"

His fist clenched, "You have no idea how hot you are when you're nervous, Granger."

She smiled, "Yeah? That's a little creepy, Malfoy."

"I mean… not nervous, but innocent," His eyes got stormy, "Prudish."

"Yeah, you like loosening me up?" She said quietly.

He looked up at her with dark intent, "Even more when you're naughty."

A little thrill went through her, "Tonight?"

"I'll be there around nine," He growled, "Promise."

Hermione glanced around the cozy cafe, relishing the secret-ness of it all. Here she was, getting propositioned by one of the hottest men in Wizarding England and no one (save her friends) had a clue.

" I thought you didn't keep your promises?" She teased.

"I don't," He replied, "I'll be there before nine. Oh, and Granger?"

She smiled, "Yeah?"

"You can sleep over," He threw it off very casually, but Hermione's stomach erupted in butterflies.

Ron was right, Merlin help her.

She steadied herself, "Thank you. You can sleep over too, if you want."

He smiled up at her, and her stomach did a little flip.

Point one to Malfoy.