TITLE: Faking It
PART: 3/?
RATING: R
SUMMARY: Draco is on the run from the police when he is accused of murder. A chance encounter with Hermione is the only thing that saves him. Posing as her bookish boyfriend with the help of some glamour the pair find they have more in common than they would ever believe and it's only a matter of time before real feelings develop in a game of pretend.
DISCLAIMER: I disclaim
AN: This is my 1st Harry Potter fic. So please 4give any minor inaccuracies.... and major ones.... well it gives u a reason 2 review lol.
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This time what I want is you
There is noone else who can take your place
This time you burn me with your eyes
You see past all the lies
You take it all away
I've seen it all
And it's never enough
It keeps leaving me needing you
~Take Me Away~ Lifehouse~
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Draco's arms enveloped the girl, steadying her in her strapy shoes. He had been running since nine the previous night and had no clue as to where he was just knew that he was ass deep in alligators and sinking quickly.
Maybe he had just been wired from the long car ride or maybe he had just been looking for a reason to escape but for whatever reason the logical composed Slytherin that ruled Hogwarts for seven years deserted him the night before. He hadn't like Jools so it hadn't been any deep seeded grief over her death nor was it a fear for his own life but something had made him flee the scene. Fuck the car, fuck the cops, fuck his controlling Nazi of a father for involving him in his shit. But there was only so long adrenaline could keep you going and Draco had exhausted his seemingly endless supply hours before.
The police would be after him soon and if he expected to formulate any sort of workable plan he was going to need some food in his system, the reason for his stopping at the gas station. Plenty of sugary snacks to fit his rather limited budget.
He hadn't stopped to pack and had only the loose change from the pockets of his designer slacks. He wouldn't have chanced using his credit cards even if he had them as the police would have put a trace on them when he became the prime suspect in his wife's murder.
"You alright?" he asked the girl, managing to muster up some concern on her behalf despite his own shitty situation. There was also the added plus that prolonged contact gave him the opportunity to pick her pockets. Though she appeared to be near his age even poor college students kept a supply of cash on them. "Those aren't exactly the best shoes for this weather."
The girl turned around a flush coloring her cheeks, her obvious embarrassment over her little spill evident in her downcast eyes and sputtering apology, "I'm sorry- I just- you know no sleep and then my car di–."
"Granger!" Draco Malfoy prided himself on being a hard person to crack. Jaded by a life lived at the grueling pace his father set, it took a lot to phase him and even more to elicit such a degree of shock. The coincidental collision with an ex-classmate, especially Hermione Granger, in the litter strew parking lot of a muggle gas station was "a lot". Hermione's head shot up at hearing her name in the familiar drawl, her teeth clicking together with the suddeness of the motion. Though it was laced with a degree of maturity and pain that hadn't been present last time she heard it she recognized the voice immediately as belonging to Draco Malfoy.
"Malfoy!?" she spat, equal amounts of shock and contempt on the single word, making it sound more like an insult than a name coming from her. Draco's eyes swept over his old nemesis with the practiced gaze that all attractive males posses. Handsome enough that their stare came off as more of a brief appraisal not to be resented but quick enough in the execution that it could not be construed as leering.
Hermione Granger had grown up since her last year at Hogwarts, the bookish head girl who's only major social symbol was her ex-girlfriend status with the infamous Harry Potter was now a pretty young co-ed, half of her appeal lying in her own ignorance in regards to her good looks. Gold flecked green eyes shot venom at him from beneath long lashes, she had grown into her long coltish legs and they no longer made her seem tall and awkward but gave her an added grace. Her hair was still the same brown that it had been before but was now shot with blonde highlights he supposed had been forced on her by one of her more fashion conscious friends and even plastered to her head from the torrential downpour they were currently standing in he could tell there had been an improvement on the hair care front. An appreciative smirk crept onto his face when his eyes fell on her drenched t-shirt.
Hermione noticed his gaze and crossed her arms self-consciously across her chest, "Same old Draco," she accused, her affection for her helpful stranger vanishing as she learned his identity.
Water dripped off the end of his nose and the smirk vanished, replaced by an apologetic smile, "Sorry Granger," he said, his apology falling flat due to his failure to appear chagrined by the incident. "Look are you alright?"
Hermione scowled rolling her ankle to demonstrate it's uninhibited movement, "What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Buying munchies," Draco replied honestly gesturing to the change he had pulled from his pocket. "Now can I inquire into your reason for your impulsive acrobatics in the parking lot?"
"I told you," she replied, "my car broke down."
"Ah... what a coincidence," Draco said, deciding that honesty was not the best route as of yet.
"Wow," Hermione exclaimed with mock enthusiasm, "What luck!" With a final scowl she spun and walked into the gas station, leaving a stunned Draco behind her. Girls did not walk away from him in any situation, especially not when he was in as piteous a situation as this. So maybe his car trouble was a fabrication but there was no reason for her to leave an old acquaintance out in the rain. He had never been able to figure out why Hermione didn't fawn over him like almost every other girl he encountered. They had shared a room for a year as head boy and girl and she had proved immune to even his most blatant advances. Her obvious disinterest intrigued him and irritated him to no end. For a while he had labeled her gay but her tryst with Harry proved that assumption false, and that she just didn't find him attractive was inconceivable.
Hermione strolled through the alises of the convenience store, her fingers trailing lightly over rows of processed lard and caffeine infused soda feigning an intense interest in her choice of snacks. An inner battle was raging as she was forced to admit that she was listening for Draco to follow her. Half of her was innately curious about the blonde's post-Hogwarts activities and the light play of muscles visible through his wet dress shirt while the other, more grounded, half of her was plagued by memories of his previous torment of her along with the rest of her Gryfindor classmates. She pretended not to notice when Draco entered the store and trailed a small distance behind her, choosing his own snacks. She continued to ignore him as she crossed back across the store, sliding her purchases on the counter. Her blonde shadow placed an identical can of soda and bag of Skittles next to hers.
"Will ya look at that," Draco marveled, the shock in his voice indicating either his authenticity or highly superior acting skills. Hermione looked at the items with obvious dismay, the thought that she shared anything so intimate as a favorite snack with Hogwart's former bad boy was obviously upsetting to her. She slammed a crumpled and slightly wet five dollar bill on the counter, storming from the store without her change. Draco gave the startled cashier a "what can you do" shrug and payed for his own food with a pile of assorted change. He turned towards the door, making certain it didn't appear he was chasing Hermione but rather just following in the same path as her. He didn't want to flatter her when she seemed so disinclined to do so for him.
Draco opened the door only to have Hermione Granger fall into his arms for the second time that morning.
"Walk much?" she quipped quickly disentangling herself from his grasp. Draco let his arms fall weakly to his side, a bewildered look on his face as he watched her compose herself. The methodical correction of clothing, the systematic primping of her wet hair spoke to a life run by routine. Draco was paid to be an observer, watching coworkers and prospective coworkers so he always knew the right thing to say the thing to impress and disarm. In Hermione Draco saw a lonely girl who held herself together by keeping things constant, this unfortunate series of events having totally disrupted her schedule she was adorably flustered. A plan began to form in Draco's mind, not to be disturbed by his use of the adjective adorable in regards to his former classmate.
Hermione looked up and saw Draco's gaze still trained on her. "What do you want Malfoy? She demanded, shifting uncomfortably under his scrutiny.
Draco's lips curved up in a charming smile, "I think we've got some catching up to do Granger."
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TBC! Was anyone really surprised it was Draco? Lol. Please please please review *insert cute pouty face here*
Thanks so much 2 all my reviewers!!!! Thanks 2 Nikki, Meredith (lol I've got a horrible tendancy 2 leave WIPs unfinished but I promise that won't be the way w/this story), Fiery-chan, The Sarcastic Morbid One, DracoLegolasOliver r sexy, Vivi (oooo hope this lived up 2 ur expectations), spriteremix2121, Kersten Cyeyne, Kassy, HarryPotterWanter (Actually that's exactly the direction I was going to take w/this fic, playing up Hermione's loneliness in contrast 2 Lavender's relationship w/yummy Oliver), Broom, Chibi Akuma, Slytherin Princess, Inu-Yashas-Gurl, CrashdownAntarianGirl (thanks so much, it's my 1st real HP fic so I was sorta worried about the characterizations), Blanche Dubois (yeah lol wasn't much of a cliffy was it?), jazzylady, the-true-cat (thanks again! I have no clue which story 2 work on... email me or lemme know in a review which fic u wanna c updated the most and ill work on that one), and guycrzyesp4orli
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