PART 5

There is french in this chapter. If you can't understand it, leave a review and I'll reword it so it's easier to understand.

I'd like to give special thank you to Spider Solitaire for help with procrastinating (like I needed any help) and to my french beta Kimmydeedoo, from fictionalley.org. Merici! :) Damn, I had wanted to make this chapter NC-17, but for some reason it didn't write itself that way. Oh well. Perhaps another chapter... "I Remember LA" is Celine Dion's. And oui, I am aware that the title of this chapter is "I Remember Paris", mais Hermione and Draco didn't meet in LA and therefore naming the chapter "I Remember LA" would have been quite odd. Draco is mine, despite what you may have heard and - *knock on door and Canon!Draco walks in*.

Canon!Draco: "What the hell are you doing?!"

Me: "Um..."

Canon!Draco: "You're making me get with that... that.... filthy Mudblood cow! Are you mental?! Do you know who I am?! I should kill you! *pulls out wand*

Me: "Um..."

*Suddenly Fanon!Draco appears, resplendent in snug leather trousers* Canon!Draco: "Who the hell are you?" *eyes Fanon!Draco's leather trousers suspiciously* "And what are you wearing?!"

Fanon!Draco: *wittly* "Leather trousers."

Canon!Draco: *folds arms across chest* "Well you look like a poncy git." Fanon!Draco: *wittly* "Well, you're a spoiled brat."

Canon!Draco: "I am NOT!" *beat* "I'm telling!" *runs out through door, whinging. Fanon!Draco throws a dazzling smile in my direction and disappears as suddenly as he appeared, leaving behind only the faint scent of leather*

Me: "Um..."

There were days in the sun

That have stayed forever young

Nights when passion was invincible

We thought love would never die

*** ~LAST AUGUST~

Hermione was stretched out beside the hotel pool, sunglasses on, book in her lap, trying to read. It wasn't working very well. She had read for about fifteen minutes before realizing she had gone over the same paragraph four times and hadn't retained a word.

Sighing, she placed the book to the side. Almost instantly, someone appeared beside her. "Puis-je vous servir quelque chose?"

Hermione looked up and smiled. Service here was impeccable. "Oui," she smiled again. "Un daiquiri aux fraises, s'il-vous-plait."

The waiter looked at her, eyebrows raised. "Un daiquiri aux fraises? Pour vous?"

"Oui." Hermione said firmly. "Pour moi."

"Puis-je voir une piece d'identite?"

"Excusez moi, oui, deux daiquiris aux fraises, s'il-vous-plait. Celui avec la petite ombrelle... verte, je crois." a familiar voice came from beside Hermione. "Mettez le tout sur le compte de Monsieur Malfoy."

"Monsieur Malfoy?" the waiter murmured, ducking away. "Certainement, deux daiquiris aux fraises, oui. Ce sera prit bientot."

Hermione smiled gratefully at him as he turned and walked off, then turned to the person next to her. "Draco." she said, still smiling.

"Hermione." he picked up the book she was reading. "Hogwarts: A History? Again?"

"It's the new, revised edition." she responded defensively. "And I was bored."

"Ah yes," he leaned back in his lounge chair. "I had pressing business to attend to. I can see you missed my company dreadfully."

"And what pressing business was this?"

He reached over and placed a hand on her arm, a barely concealed smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "My mother and I... - "

She grabbed his hand and finished for him. "Got manicures!!"

Draco managed to get out "She made me!" before joining in her laughter.

Hermione looked at him, his head thrown back, laughing in the sunlight. He had changed so much ever since his father had mysteriously disappeared the previous September. Fifth year had come and gone without so much as a dirty look from Malfoy or his cronies.

And then, two weeks into summer hols, Hermione had left her Parisenne hotel room with her parents and literally run smack dab into Malfoy and his mother, both looking very tanned and happy. They had both joined her and her family for breakfast and their mothers had become fast friends, now spending most days shopping together, Narcissa taking her mother to many a French wizard boutique and her mother returning the favour and introducing Narcissa to the joys of Muggle shopping.

And Hermione, for lack of anything better to do, had started spending time with Malfoy. It turned out that they had many of the same interests and they spent days exploring the city. Then one day, Hermione had turned to ask his opinion on a painting and, with a jolt that weakened her knees, made her dizzy and forced her to sit down, realized that she was falling in love with Draco Malfoy.

Stricken, she had plead exhaustion and locked herself in her room. She had paced the tiny room, tearing through her books for help but, for the first time, not finding any. Books, her old friend and ally, had left her in the lurch. Fruitlessly, she had tried to reason with herself. This was Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, who had tried to make the last five years of her life hell. Whose father had tried to kill her best friend's sister. Whose father supported the murderer of her other best's parents. Who had hurt and belittled her at every opportunity.

But there was no reasoning. Her heart had countered every arguement her brain came up with. He's changed. It was his father who supported You- Know-Who, his father who had loosed the basilisk on Hogwarts. He's different.

She had felt sick, like a traitor. What would Harry and Ron say?

Ron.

Her brain had let out a mental 'Haha!'. Ron, who was so sweet and loyal and so head-over-heels in love with her. Ron would be crushed.

Momentarily defeated, her had heart came back strong. But you love Draco, not Ron.

"Oh God," she had moaned, head in her hands, tears welling up and spilling over. "What have I gotten myself into?"

There had been a knock at the door and, thinking it was her mother or father, she had called "It's open." and looked up to see Draco, framed in the doorway.

"Are you okay?" he had asked. "You missed dinner." he had stepped hesitantly into her room and seeing her tear streaked face had paused. "What's wrong?"

"Draco, I..." she had started miserably, but stopped when she saw his face split into a wide grin. "What?"

"You called me Draco."

She had stared at him until he couldn't take it anymore and he had glanced away, his eyes lighting on a chair across the room. "Do you mind if I sit down?"

She had nodded wordlessly, and he had kicked the door closed and settled his tall frame into the chair. "Hermione." he had begun, then stopped.

"Yes?"

"Hermione," he had tried again, but still couldn't continue.

"That's my name." she had affected an annoyed tone, but inside she was grinning. He had called her Hermione!!

"I've got a problem." he had started once more. She had opened her mouth to respond, but he had held one perfectly manicured finger up to silence her. "I think... I think that I'm.... that I have..."

"Draco, I think I'm falling in love with you." she had blurted out. Her brain had been momentarily distracted and her heart had seized the chance.

He had stared at her, his mouth open in shock and she had instantly blushed to the roots of her hair.

"In love? With me?" he had stammered.

"Oh God, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I don't know what came over me." she had stumbled over her explainations, mortified beyond words.

"No... Hermione..." he had been looking at a point just beyond her shoulder then his grey eyes suddenly cut to hers. "That was what I was going to say to you."

Without seeming to move, they had met in the middle of the bed. Hermione had been kissed before, but this... this was like nothing she had ever experienced. Ron had kissed her a couple of times, very hesitant and immediately after had turned bright red and run, and wasn't capable of looking her in the eye for several days after.

But Draco... he put his whole being into kissing her. All his arrogance and sweetness and power, all his want and need, surged into her and made her lightheaded. Finally he had broken away from her, hunger in his eyes. She had reached out and grabbed his shirt, falling backwards onto the bed, pulling him with her.

He had pulled back, suddenly, still on top of her, his warm weight awakening feelings in her she had never experienced. "Hermione, are you sure?"

"Yes," she had answered, reaching up to kiss him. He had eagerly responded to the kiss, sliding a hand under her shirt. She had arched her back, pressing into him.

Are you sure? her mind had echoed. Are you sure? Think of Ron. Think of Hagrid. Think of Buckbeak. This is MALFOY!

"Shut up." she had murmured aloud and he had pulled away again, and she thought she'd die.

"Hermione," he had said, reaching out and tracing her jaw with an elegant finger. "Is this.... have you ever...?"

"No." she had reached for him again and he had clasped her hands in his. "Have you?"

He had looked sheepish. "No."

At that, she had stopped trying to unbutton his shirt. "No? Never?"

He had shaken his head. "Nope."

"Not with Blaise? You went out with her for eight months."

He had arched an eyebrow. "You don't believe me? Hermione, being a virgin is not a lie that many guys tell."

She had coloured. "I'm just... surprised... is all."

"I know," he had replied, a smile playing on his lips. "And it's understandable. I mean look at me. What woman could resist this?"

She had hit him lightly, then kept her palm resting on his chest. "Why?"

"Why? Well, I'm gorgeous for one - "

"Why not?"

He had looked at her, studying her face. "It wasn't right. It didn't feel right."

"And this does?"

He had leaned forward and kissed her, drinking her in, then pulled away slightly. "Yes. It feels perfect."

~*~*~*~

It had been Narcissa who had found them, leaving her room, holding hands and glowing in that special, post-coital way. She had taken one look at them and burst out laughing, then drew them both into a hug.

"I wholeheartedly approve, Draco." she had smiled, kissed Hermione on both cheeks and winked. "And dear, if you need any... advice, I'm only an owl away."

Hermione had blushed to the roots of her bushy hair while Draco had snorted, half-amused, half-scarred-for-life.

"And you," she had poked her son gently in the chest. "Treat her right. She's special."

Draco had nodded seriously. "I know."