The Bachelor Chapter 3

Hermione stared at her surroundings dolefully. Everyone was laughing and talking and bad-mouthing each other (whenever they were in vicinity of Draco). Every girl was trying to pull him away in search of some alone time.

Every girl except Hermione.

Hermione did not want alone time with the bastard—she wanted to go home.

She watched with contempt as Malfoy flirted shamelessly with every girl. She sat down at a table and crossed her arms, counting the minutes until Malfoy would pick his damned fifteen girls and she could go home and pretend this never happened.

But of course, Malfoy wasn't one to let it go.

He slipped into the chair next to hers with a smirk on his face. "So, Granger, are you enjoying yourself?"

She scowled deeply. "Just being in your presence is enough," she griped. "Why did you have to come talk to me?"

He laughed, causing quite a number of girls to turn around and swarm the table.

"Thanks," Hermione said, making a motion to get up so she could escape the chaos.

Draco thought a little differently. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her back down. Hermione was, needless to say, shocked. He was so…strong.

Who could have imagined pale, elfin Draco Malfoy of Hogwarts would ever grow, God forbid, strong?

She looked at him. He was still quite pale, but maybe not so skinny.

All in all, he was quite decent looking, especially with the blonde hair hanging in his eyes.

But he had the personality of the devil. She could not see why these girls were so crazy over him.

"Do sit down, Granger," Malfoy was saying. All the girls ooh-la-lahed.

"My pleasure," Hermione growled as she shifted lower into the seat.

"So," Malfoy said, as if conducting business, "What are your hobbies?"

Hermione paused. "I like to beat the shit out of pale, blonde-haired creatures and I like to read. And did I mention how much I love torturing certain Malfoys?"

Malfoy snickered, and so did a lot of the girls around him.

"Come on now," Hannah Abbot said, playfully. "You didn't really mean that. Draco is so sweet!"

Hermione looked at her in shock. "You were in Hufflepuff," she exclaimed. "Why are you calling this…it…sweet?"

A lot of the girls gasped, and Malfoy turned to her with cold grey eyes.

"Watch that mouth, Granger," he said quietly. "Two can play at this game."

Hannah Abbot broke the silence with, "Well, we've all grown up now Hermione and forgotten school differences. Maybe you could do that too."

Draco Malfoy stared at the ex-Hufflepuff appreciatively. Tick Granger off, he thought maliciously. That stupid little bitch; how dare she insult him so badly in front of all these girls?

Well, he thought. She would certainly get a taste of her own medicine.

She expected to be free in a mere two hours, and up till a moment ago, he had never considered keeping her here. After all, they did not get along, to say in the least.

But now, she would pay. Not only would he pick her, he'd pick her all the way until the fucking end, so he could bug the shit out of her. And he'd have a good time doing it.

He was completely willing to sacrifice the spot of one potential girlfriend for annoy-the-hell-out-of-Granger time.

It was going to be fun to see her expression when he handed her the last rose.

It was going to be so fun.

Hermione watched as Draco got up and all his followers left her immediately. Ah, she thought, solitude again.

Of course, she was wrong.

The minute Draco and his fan club had left, Parvati Patil slid into the seat next to hers.

"What's up?" she asked.

"Parvati," Hermione said dangerously. "I am in a very bad mood. I don't want to talk."

Parvati clucked sympathetically. "It's okay. You take things too hard. And you have to admit, Malfoy's definitely gotten some great looks, no?"

"No," Hermione growled. "Not at all. He's too pale and too tall and too muscular and…"

Parvati laughed. "You agree with me then," she snickered. "Maybe he's gotten nicer, too. I mean, You-Know-Who's dead and his father is under house-arrest for the rest of his life. He's only got his poor mum capable of doing stuff and maybe she wasn't a freaking Death Eater. Stop being so childish," Parvati chided.

Hermione shrugged. "Or maybe she was the brains behind the whole operation," she suggested rather spitefully.

Parvati looked a little hurt, and Hermione instantly felt sorry.

"Sorry, Parv," she said quickly. "Malfoy just tends to make me crazy."

"With lust, you mean?" Parvati asked innocently.

"Parvati…" Hermione warned, a dangerous edge coming to her voice.

"Only kidding!" Parvati said, laughing and getting up. "Now if you don't mind, I'm off to convince Draco that he's going to pick me…"

Hermione sighed. "You and everyone else. You know, you shouldn't even bother with that little bas—"

Hermione looked up to see that Parvati was already gone.

Suddenly Kathy M. Silver appeared in the room. Hermione realized that the M must stand for Malfoy. She shuddered. It was a little hard to believe the friendly Kathy was related to Malfoy. And she considered him a darling!

Gods. The boy must act very differently at home, Hermione thought thunderously. She realized that Kathy Silver had begun to speak and turned her attention to her.

"Girls, it's time! Draco, why don't you lead the way…"

Draco got up and walked inside to where the rose ceremony was going to take place. All the girls followed suit, Hermione bringing up the rear rather reluctantly. Well, at least she would get to go home soon. She'd convince Harry and Ron—pray they weren't watching this on TV—that she'd gone for a weekend getaway. And if they were watching, she'd tell them she was under the Imperius.

Draco was beginning his traditional little speech. "This has been a really difficult decision to make," he began. "I mean, I think I have a connection with each and every one of you."

Hermione smirked and Draco looked at her with loathing in his eyes. They both knew he was speaking bull shit.

Draco picked up the first rose tenderly and called out a name. "Blaise Zabini," he said slowly.

Blaise smiled, and walked up to Malfoy, accepted the rose, and gave him a hug.

"Lavender Brown." Lavender did the exact same thing. So did the other twelve girls that followed, which included Hannah Abbot, Parvati Patil, Millicent Bulstrode (Hermione suspected that Draco was afraid of being squashed to death), Xandy Cross, and Rose Hoffman.

Finally they were down to one last rose. On Hermione's right, Eloise Midgen was sending a small prayer up. On Hermione's left, a girl that she didn't know was biting her lip in nervousness.

Why did they care so much?

Hermione could not wait until he hurried up and called the last girl and then she would be able to go home at last.

Draco inhaled deeply. Damn, Hermione thought. He's going to do it slowly just like the muggles.

"Hermione Granger," he said finally.

Eloise Midgen burst into tears and the girl on Hermione's left bit her lip so hard that a droplet of blood appeared.

Hermione stared at him incredulously. He hadn't just called her…no, damn it, he had.

She walked up to him slowly and heard him ask the repeated question—"Will you accept this rose?"

She was quite tempted to say no and snub him and go. Right as the word was about to roll of her tongue, she had a better idea. So he wanted to torture her by keeping her here? Well, that could be arranged…provided she added a little bit of her own 'fun' ideas. In fact, this would be quite the blast, to humiliate Draco Malfoy on TV with the whole wizard world watching.

"I will," she said, and they both smirked at each other.

A/N: I am having the best time writing this! So please, reward my efforts by reviewing! I want to thank everyone who reviewed the last 2 chapters, you guys are the BEST! But please, review again…it just makes my day. I've just come back to fanfic after a 2 year break and it's great...I'm so glad you seem to be liking this story. Thanks! I love you guys!