Hermione was automatically drawn to the large windows and as Draco made them a drink, she just stared out at the view, drinking it in. She'd actually stood here quite a lot but she was usually on her own when the Penthouse was empty. When the Penthouse was rented, it was rare for her to come up here. Sometimes, she'd felt quite lonely, staring out at the city. Running a hotel could be a lonely job, even with the support of her team and friends.

"You really love this view, don't you?" Draco asked as he came over to her.

"Yes - I'm not sure why."

Draco put his drink down. "Wait here a minute."

She watched him as he retreated to the bedroom area and when he returned he was carrying a large blanket. He walked back over and then started to unlock the large glass door.

"Let's sit on the balcony," he said and Hermione smiled.

"See - I wanted to do that but I thought you'd say it was too cold."

"It is too cold but let's do it anyway," Draco said.

Draco pushed two of the plush chairs together and they sat down before he draped the blanket over the pair of them. Hermione tucked her arms underneath, the blanket almost up to her nose and then she giggled. "Draco Malfoy - you're crazy!" she said.

"Then you must be too - you are out here with me!"

"You're just an utterly bad influence on me." She felt Draco move a little closer and put his arm around the back of her chair. She turned to look at him. "Don't even think about trying any of your moves on me, Malfoy," she warned him but she was smiling.

"I'm just trying to keep warm," Draco answered, also smiling.

"So, what is your proposition then?"

"I told you it's business."

"I don't care - we may as well discuss it while we have the opportunity."

Draco bit his lip which made Hermione stare at him. He seemed a little hesitant. "Do you promise not to refuse, before you've properly considered it?"

"Of course."

"You might not like the sound of it."

"Draco - just get on with it, will you?"

"Well, I hope it will be mutually beneficial."

"As long as it doesn't involve me pretending to be your girlfriend for any longer!" Hermione joked but the wide smile was wiped off her face as Draco narrowed his eyes and drew back a little. "I sincerely hope you're joking!" she said but he just gave her a meek, lop sided grin.

"Do you still want to hear it?" he asked. Hermione sighed and then nodded slowly.

"Well, I sponsor this organization and they could always do with some free publicity. I was wondering if you'd be willing to let them host a fund raising event at the hotel?"

Hermione looked at him suspiciously. "Of course I would but that isn't the end of it, is it?"

"No." Draco bit his lip and smirked again, like a naughty school boy. "My idea is that you host the event for them, they raise a bit of money and promote themselves, with my help." He paused. "I also thought that we could use the event to bring the hotel and its facilities to everyone's attention."

"I wouldn't want to use a charity event to promote the hotel."

"No - my idea is that Silver does a feature on the event and then a follow up feature on the hotel."

Hermione nodded slowly. "This all sounds like a very good idea so far..."

Draco grinned again. "If we run a feature on the hotel then it's going to hold the reader's attention for a few minutes at the most. If we run a little mini series of articles that follows the Manager of the hotel over the course of a few weeks, seeing what she does on a day to day basis, then it's going to get people involved and interested."

Hermione twisted her lips. "Okay - I'm not sure how I feel about being followed around and, to be honest, a lot of what I do isn't particularly exciting..."

"It'll be exciting enough - don't tell me you go a week without some sort of mini drama occurring?"

"Well that depends on who is renting the Penthouse!" Hermione quipped and then grinned at Draco who sniggered.

"Touché!" he said. "How's it sounding so far?"

"It sounds good - so where does the part that I have to be your fake girlfriend come in?"

"What if the mini series of features was not only about the Manager of the best Wizarding hotel in London, but also about the owner of the magazine's girlfriend? Every reader who gets hooked on these articles, is helping my magazine. If they like the magazine, then they may read our other publications..."

Hermione narrowed her eyes. "I suppose it might grab people's interest..."

"The final article can include me as well - they can see us together and how we make our busy lives and our amazing love life fit together..."

"Bloody hell!" Hermione exclaimed at his description.

Draco ignored her and continued. "I told you before that my girlfriend being Manager of the The Harmony does nothing but make me look better. More professional - stable and reliable. I know it sounds like I'll be using you, and I will be, but the hotel will hopefully benefit from it - as well as the charity." He raised both eyebrows, awaiting her reaction.

"This would all still work if we didn't pretend to be going out, wouldn't it? You could still run the features?" Hermione asked.

"Yes, but people always love a romance and it will get them hooked." Draco shrugged. "You're right - we could run it without the relationship part - I just think it will grab the readers interest."

"This is different to me pretending to be your girlfriend for a dinner event or the weekend. My friends and family are going to read these articles - we'd have to pretend all the time or they'd know it wasn't true," Hermione said. "I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that."

Draco leant back in the chair, pushing the blanket off slightly and gazing upwards into the clear sky overhead. "I know - it will be more difficult. If you don't want to do it - I promise not to throw a tantrum," he smirked but didn't turn to look at her. "But, let's face it, it's not much of a move from what we're doing already. I mean, while I'm staying here, we're together loads anyway." He gave a deep chuckle. "Instead of longing to kiss me all the time; you'll actually be able to do it!"

Hermione rolled her eyes. "As your girlfriend don't I also have the right to slap your face if you annoy me?"

"Ha! No!"

"And, for the record, I don't spend my time longing to kiss you."

"I don't expect you to admit to it."

"Just how much do you love yourself?" Hermione asked him.

"So, do we have a deal?" Draco asked, turning to look at her.

"I'll need to sleep on it."

"Why?"

"Why not? What's the hurry?"

Draco leant closer. "The sooner you agree, the sooner the kissing can start..."

Hermione sighed loudly. "If you're trying to encourage me then that isn't going to help."

Draco laughed. "Think about it and let me know."

They sat in silence for a while, Draco shuffling closer again. Hermione tried to not let his little show of affection get to her, but it was difficult. He had a presence that was really hard to ignore. Something popped into her head and she spoke suddenly.

"9?"

"Yeh - what about it?"

"9?" she repeated. "Was that you flattering me so that I'd agree to your little idea?"

"Don't you think you deserve a 9?"

"I don't think that you think I do..." Hermione frowned, confused by her own words and Draco chuckled again.

"Strangely, I know what you mean," he turned properly towards her, so that his body was facing her as well. "And also strangely, I do think that you do." He laughed at his play on words. Hermione found herself giggling.

"You do think that I do? I do what?" she laughed. "What were we talking about?"

"I don't think I know!" Draco laughed as well. Hermione gave an involuntary shiver. "Are you too cold - shall we go inside?" he asked.

"I should go home."

"Why? It's your day off tomorrow."

Hermione turned to face him. "How do you know?"

"You'd be surprised what I know," Draco tapped the side of his nose. "Nothing gets past me."

"Well, I might have to pop in anyway..."

"You work too hard."

"So do you!"

"Not as much as you do - I always try and give myself a break every few days. That way, when I go back I'm refreshed. You should try it sometime - it's called relaxing." Draco glanced sideways at her with a superior look on his face.

"I'm relaxed right now."

"So, why are you insisting on rushing off then?"

"It's past midnight! I'd hardly call that rushing off!" Hermione pulled the blanket up as a the wind wiped round them.

"Come on - we're going inside!" Draco pulled her to standing and they went back inside. Hermione was shivering but it made her giggle.

"I didn't realise I was this cold!" she said, giving another shudder. "Brrrrr!"

Draco grinned at her and went over to put the fire on. It wasn't a real fire; it was a stylish, modern looking one but it glowed red and gave out a blast of heat. Hermione went to stand by it, shuffling around.

"I think I may have caught pneumonia!"

"What's pneumonia?"

Hermione sighed. "Sometimes I dislike having friends who are wizards and have no idea about Muggle stuff!"

"Friends? Am I falling into that category?" Draco raised both eyebrows and smirked at her.

She stared back at him and hesitated before she answered him. She'd said it without thinking so did that mean it was true? She held his gaze and then nodded.

"I suppose so, but I don't think you fell into the category - I think you forced your way in!" She smirked at him and he smirked right back, his eyes dancing. Hermione, totally out of the blue, felt a little rush of emotion, a tingling, exhilarating feeling. This time the feeling had nothing to do with Draco's attractiveness. He could have been wearing a paper bag over his head and she would have still have felt it, because it was about the two of them forming a connection. She really enjoyed his company and she knew that he enjoyed hers. They seemed to bounce of one another, always just on the edge of conflict but somehow managing to not quite fall into it and to get along instead.

"You should stay," Draco said, simply and Hermione stared at him.

"Stay?"

"Stay here."

Hermione took a breath, trying not to look shocked. "There's no need - it's no trouble. I just apparate straight home..." She moved away from the fire and looked around for her coat. "Talking of which, it really is time that I go."

"I have a spare room and it's cold and dark outside..." Draco stood up and took a step towards her.

"I don't have to go outside..."

"You know what I mean!"

"If anyone found out I'd stayed here in the Penthouse with a hotel guest..."

"Who's going to find out? And anyway it's all above board - you'll be in the guest room."

"I know. I just don't think it's a good idea."

"I want you to stay." Draco said these five words so quietly that Hermione had to strain her ears to hear him. He looked down at his feet and Hermione felt the tingle again. Merlin! He could influence her so easily...

"How am I supposed to refuse when you say things like that?" she said and she watched him as his eyes lifted to look at her from under his fringe. His lips curved a little at the edges and in that moment she knew that whatever else may come from his stay at her hotel, she had definitely gained a friend. He was an annoying, rebellious and sometimes obnoxious man with an ego that anyone would struggle to carry around with them, but he'd let her see the other side of him. The funny, caring and slightly vulnerable side and she really liked it. She really, really liked it. So, here she was about to break another rule because of him. "I'll stay," she said.

Draco smiled at her - a lovely, dazzling smile that made the tingles come back. "Great. In that case - how about I make us a hot drink?"

Draco headed towards the kitchen but before he'd got past the sofa, Hermione spoke again.

"There is a problem," she said. Her heart was beating a little quicker than usual because she was about to say something, albeit jokingly, that she would never have dreamed she'd say to Draco Malfoy. Somehow she wanted to say it though - she couldn't let him have the upper hand in everything and she wanted to see how he would handle it.

"What's the problem?" he asked.

"I don't have anything to sleep in." Hermione made sure she paused and casually picked up a magazine from the coffee table. She flicked through it, not glancing at Draco. "I suppose I could sleep naked and just use one of the hotel robes in the morning?" Now she looked up from the magazine, seemingly innocently and watched Draco's reaction.

He was smirking again, but his eyes had widened in his face. He looked her up and down before putting his head to one side, as if he was analyzing her. "I suppose you could do that," he said.

She had so wanted to remain in control of herself but with a sudden splutter, a chuckle burst out of her and she closed the magazine. "Your face was a picture!" she said, with another giggle.

Draco rolled his eyes. "Because I'm a gentleman, I'll lend you a shirt to sleep in," he said but she saw him grinning widely as he walked over to the kitchen.

Mmm...I know I'm probably driving you crazy waiting for something to happen but this teasing, fliring affection is great to write and I hope you think it's great to read. x