SHATTERED GLASS

by o

supported by sPECTARE, cUPERE, cAPERE, part of aGAINST aLL rEASONS

part three: community chest.

'so, what rules are we playing by?' hermione asked.

draco was feeling slightly daring. or perhaps he was just drunk. 'it's fun to play strip monopoly,' he said, slurring slightly.

'what's that?'

'every time you land on someone else's property, you, um, strip. one piece of clothing each time.' hermione looked fairly disgusted, and draco wondered if he had pushed her too far.

but she smiled and said, 'fine. i'm in.' she took the box and lifted the lid, kneeling on the ground. 'what do you want to be?'

'i'm always the car,' draco said.

hermione nodded. 'i'll be the dog,' she said, placing the two pieces at GO.

draco sat down across from hermione, and she passed him his starting money.

'who goes first?' she asked.

'banker always goes last,' he said.

'you lie!'

'i'm not kidding. that's how i've always played. honest.'

hermione rolled her eyes. 'whatever. i'll still beat you.'

the first couple times around, neither hit any of the others bought property. but on her third turn, hermione landed on baltic avenue, which just so happened to be draco's.

'take off your socks,' he instructed.

hermione pulled the off, tossing them to the side of the board and passing the money she owed to him.

on draco's turn, he landed on st. charles place. 'socks,' hermione said. draco tossed them on top of hers.

a few more times through, and hermione was wearing her bra, underwear, and her pants. draco was wearing boxer shorts and undershirt. surprisingly, neither felt awkward.

or maybe they were too drunk to feel awkward.

hermione rolled, holding her breath. a five and a one - six. her eyes counted the spaces. pennsylvania avenue. draco's.

'no way!'

'pants! off!'

hermione laughed as she stood up and unbuttoned her pants, kicking them off into the pile of discarded clothing. draco couldn't help but stare at her. he had seen her with just a towel not even 24 hours before, and now he got to see her even closer to naked.

'your turn,' she said, sitting back down.

draco rolled. a four and a five - nine ... illinois avenue. hermione's.

hermione howled with laughter and commanded, 'the shirt must be gone!'

draco pulled the shirt off, and hermione studied his fit chest. leaning forward, she touched it with a finger, tracing the curves. draco reached for her hand slowly, pulling it to his face. he kissed the finger that had been on his stomach just seconds before, slowly and carefully.

and before hermione knew what was happening, draco was dragging her across the board to him, pulling her until their faces were inches apart. hermione lifted her finger to his lips, desperate to feel it - whatever IT was, that sensational emotion - again. he closed his eyes and let her fingers brush his lips delicately. and when they moved he opened his eyes in time to see her face coming even closer to his, until her lips touched his in question.

he responded quickly, entwining his fingers through her curly hair and pressing his mouth against hers.

she pulled away for a second and studied his face, running her fingers through his short and yet so very soft hair, before ducking back into the kiss.

draco kissed her harder this time, his lips moving anxiously, desperately, on hermione's, persuading her to open her mouth with the tip of his tongue. she did, and her stomach clenched as her tongue hit his. he pulled her into his lap, rubbing his hands up and down her bare back. hermione moaned into his mouth, pushing her chest against his as he rolled them over so that she was beneath him. he pushed himself up slightly with his hands so as not to put his full weight on her, but not once did his lips leave hers. she wrapped her hands around his neck, stroking the nape of his neck delicately with her nails, sending shivers up and down his spine.

and ...

the phone rang. they both opened their eyes and seemed to realise what they were doing.

oops.

hermione pulled herself out from under him.

'answer it,' she said.

his heart thumping in his ears, draco picked up the phone. 'hello?'

'it's sonny. meet me in the hotel lobby at eight-thirty tomorrow morning.' click.

draco put down the phone and turned to hermione. she was pulling on her jeans, buttoning her shirt haphazardly.

'hermione -'

'let's not talk about it, all right? we were both drunk. we didn't mean anythign by it.' she snatched her tank top and shorts out of the closet, walking to the bathroom and shutting the door behind her. 'you can have the bed,' she called.

'it's ok. don't want it,' draco called back, sinking into the cot. he rolled onto his stomach and fell asleep in seconds.

hermione opened the door slowly to find draco dead out on the cot. she sighed, rubbing her forehead furiously, a trait she had picked up from her father when she was anxious and confused; scared.

and she was scared. she had no idea what was going to happen next.