Chapter Three – First Date
Hermione examined herself in the mirror, and almost blushed at her reflection. She had never known Ginny owned such a dress, but was glad she did because it was perfect.
It was tight fitting, and had a deep, square neck line that was held up by two spaghetti straps. The skirt flowed as it was a light material, and reached just below her knees, while the torso was shaped like a corset, and had crisscrossed ribbon at the back, pulled as tight as she could handle without her wound beginning to ache.
She heard the doorbell sound and picked up her bag from her desk and started walking out of her room. When the doorbell sounded again, she smiled to herself, but when it just kept ringing she decided she'd have to have words with Draco. She walked carefully down the stairs to the sound of chimes and called out to her parents that she'd get the door, and see them when she got home later that night.
Reaching the door, Hermione opened it and grabbed Draco's outstretched hand before he pressed the doorbell for the eleventh time. "That's enough of that."
Draco grinned sheepishly, and said "But it's fun."
"I know, everybody goes through a button-pressing phase." Hermione said, half jokingly. "It's just usually at the age of three, not eighteen."
Draco was about to reply, but he suddenly noticed what Hermione was wearing. His eyes slowly wandered over her body, and his mouth opened slightly in wonder. Her curves were emphasized and for the first time his love for her was rivaled by his lust. Finally he looked up to her calm face, and saw her beautiful hair pulled back loosely so strands drifted down about her face.
"This is the meanest thing you've ever done to me, Hermione." He said, knowing full well that dinner at a restaurant would be enough to tire her for the rest of the weekend.
She looked slightly unsure of herself as she asked, "Should I change?"
Draco shook his head violently, but couldn't bring himself to say anything, for it would most definitely be inappropriate within the hearing of her parents. "Shall we go?" he asked instead.
Hermione nodded, and allowed him to take her arm and lead her through the door and out to the black car waiting. Draco opened the door and Hermione lowered herself inside, being very careful about her injury. He closed the door behind her, and walked around to the other side and hopped in. He called to the driver, "You know where to go."
The car pulled away from the curb and Hermione looked at Draco and admired his attire. "Nice suit. I didn't know you had one of those."
"I need one for the place we're going." He stated, purposefully piquing her curiosity. "But you'll just have to wait till we get there to find out where that is." He informed her, knowing the question was on her lips.
Hermione pouted slightly and looked out the window at the same time a large crack sounded, trying to guess where they were going by the roads they were taking, but suddenly realized she had no idea where they were. The buildings looked old and close together, similar to those in England, but they weren't the same. She looked questioningly at Draco, who motioned that his lips were sealed. "Not until we get there."
Hermione shifted impatiently in her seat and looked out the window again. Due to the quick arrival in a place she was unfamiliar with, Hermione knew the driver must have aparated the entire car to Draco's desired destination.
Hermione craned her neck to look in the distance to find a landmark she might recognize, but the only thing out of the ordinary was a building that looked as if it was about to fall over. She turned to look at Draco. "No way."
Her pretended to look confused. "No way what?"
"Rome? Are you serious?" Hermione asked in a shocked voice. She had never jumped from one country to another just for a meal. The concept was entirely new to her, and she suddenly looked down at her dress to make sure it would be suitable for the change.
"Hermione." Draco said, "You look so enchanting, no one will question what you're wearing. It's only Rome. It's not as if I've taken you to Buckingham Palace, but even so, I'm sure you'd show up the Queen."
"Considering her age, I'd hope so." Hermione smiled. Draco just looked at her, with an expression that betrayed he hadn't heard what she'd said. He leaned over and kissed her neck softly, lifting his hand to stroke her cheek gently.
"Enjoy tonight, and tell me when you need to go home. Don't think you'll offend me. I'd prefer this evening to run short, than to have you in bed two weeks longer than you should be." Draco told her. Hermione nodded and gave him a smile.
After a few minutes the car pulled to a stop, and Draco commanded Hermione to remain where she was with a raised finger. She undid her seatbelt, but other than that remained in her seat. He hopped out of the car and walked around to her door. Opening it for her, Draco offered his hand, saying "My lady,"
Hermione dropped her eyes and as he assisted her out of the car, she said in a feigned high class accent, "My Lord, this is far too much. I would have been happy with Mc Donalds…well, probably not, but Rome?"
Draco just frowned slightly, obviously not familiar with the world or fast food. "Who's McDonald? You don't mean Leigh McDonald from Hogwarts, do you? I mean, he's only in sixth year, and if you'd been in the same Quidditch change room as him, you'd have varying opinions of him and what would make you happy…"
"Draco." Hermione intervened in his pointless defense. "It's atake awayplace all over the world. I'm not surprised you don't recognize the name, and I hope you never become familiar with it. Let's move on, shall we?"
Draco looked at the ground and flushed very slightly, "I'll have you know that I'm serious about Leigh. Trust me, he'd be a disappointment from the start."
Hermione just rolled her eyes. "Shut up, dip stick."
"Elegant language froman elegantlady." He commented softly. Raising his voice to his normal volume, he took her arm in his, and said, "Right this way, ma'am."
Draco led her just a few meters down the street and stopped in front of a building called, 'Supreme Cuisine.' Hermione noticed through the tinted windows, all the tables seated only two people, and were spaced apart enough to give each couple considerate privacy. "Here we are." Draco announced, looking slightly uneasy.
"You're not nervous, are you?" Hermione asked, wrapping an arm around his waist, and pressing her body against his. Draco figured that this move was not intended to be seductive, but more like wicked, just to make him squirm.
"Not at all," He replied, his voice slightly higher than normal. Requiring much determination, Draco didn't look her in the eye as he pried her off him, and led her through the door. As they walked in, Hermione looked around, and felt as if she had just entered another world. Candles lined the walls, and had been placed on all the tables, alongside an elaborate bunch of flowers in the center of table. Each couple were dressed in fine clothing, and held their glasses of wine or champagne elegantly.
Now it was Hermione's turn to be nervous. She was not used to the lifestyle of a superior person, and had no idea how she would appear too all these fancy Italians. A man with an expensive tuxedo approached and said something to them in Italian. Hermione could only assume it was, "How can I help you?" Draco replied a short sentence in Italian, and Hermione frowned at him, unfamiliar in his ability to speak another language. He gestured to Hermione as he spoke.
The man glanced at Hermione and said in English, "I'm sorry ma'am. I was unaware you didn't speak the language." He turned back to Draco. "I'm afraid we're booked out. Do you have a reservation?"
"Yes, under the name Malfoy." As Draco said this, the man looked at Draco with a sharper eye.
"I apologize for not recognizing you instantly. You came here enough with your parents as a child. I heard about Lucius. My sincerest regards to you and your mother as you go through your time of grief." The man glanced down at his book. "Ah, yes. Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, here you are. You have booked a table upstairs."
Hermione glanced at Draco as the man called her his wife. She found him looking at her with a strange expression on his face. It was a mixture of hesitation about correcting the man, and pride because someone thought Hermione was his wife. Hermione remained silent on the issue, and she saw the corner of his mouth raise very slightly.
"We would appreciate that, sir." Draco replied, pulling his stare away from Hermione, and turning to face the man. He nodded, and led them to the back of the restaurant where a staircase was concealed. They were led up it, and into a smaller room with a balcony that overlooked the street and the gardens across it.
"This one is yours," he gestured to an elegantly laid out table. "I'll send a waiter up soon, when you're ready to order."
Draco thanked the man as he walked away, and pulled out Hermione's seat for her. She smiled and sat down slowly, and felt her side start to ache slightly. Once Draco was seated, he looked around the room at the other five tables that filled the space, and then at theirs which was right next to the balcony.
"Are you cold here?" he asked Hermione, when he felt a faint breeze come in. "Do you want me to get us a different table?"
Hermione shook her head. "It is a warm night, Draco. I think I'll be fine."
"Of course," He nodded. They glanced at the menus, and once they knew what they'd order, they lay them aside and looked at each other. "He thought we were married." Draco commented after a few minutes of silence.
"I noticed." Hermione responded, not allowing herself to smile.
Draco tried a different approach. "Did it bother you?"
"Why would it bother me?" she asked, brushing a few strands of hair behind her shoulder. Draco was momentarily distracted as his eyes followed her hand. Once noting her bare shoulder, they wandered down to what he could see of her dress, and his mind wandered to what lay underneath the dress.
He glanced up to see her watching him, apparently amused at his distraction, but still wanting an answer. He tried to give an answer. "Because you're only eighteen, and maybe you think that's too young to be considered someone's wife."
Hermione frowned at him. "Well, to be honest I do think that is too young to be considered someone's wife." Draco's heart sunk down to his shoes, and proceeded to melt in a puddle on the floor. "But, I couldn't possibly be too young tobe your wife"
Draco stared at her for a few moments, making sure he had heard correctly. Her gaze was firm, ensuring he would have no doubt about the truth of her statement. She meant exactly what she said. Suddenly Draco's face spread into a wide grin. He couldn't wipe it off his face, no matter how much he told himself how stupid he looked.
Hermione chuckled at his reaction and laid a hand on his knee under the table. "I love you."
"I love you too." Draco told her, leaning forward and kissing her softly on the lips. She melted into him and they broke apart only once a distinct clearing of the throat could be heard next to them. They looked up to see a young male waiter standing by their table, kindly averting his eyes. "Sorry." Draco apologized.
"Not a worry. Newly weds are all the same." The waiter commented knowingly. "I know I was. Now, what would you like?"
After they had ordered their meals, the waited smiled at them and said quietly, ".It shouldn't take longer than twenty minutes You may resume your positions." With that sneaky comment, he headed back down the stairs.
So Hermione and Draco did just that.
Once they had eaten their dinner, Draco commented "You fit right in."
Hermione looked at him with an expression that betrayed her worry. "Are you sure? Because I really don't feel as if I do. Everyone here is so upper class, and I'm just from a simple family. No mansion. No fortune. No royal ancestors."
"I don't have royal ancestors." Draco defended himself.
"Two out of three is pretty close considering I have none of the above." She reminded him.
"I have the strangest feeling we've been over this." Draco said pointedly. "and I think discussion of this topic always ends the same." He paused. "I don't give a crap what home life you come from. So don't give a crap about mine."
Hermione hung her head slightly. "Sorry."
"I don't need an apology, Hermione." Draco said. When she looked at him, he said, "But I definitely need a kiss."
She happily obliged, but when Draco pulled her chair closer to his, and snaked his arm around her waist, Hermione gave a sharp intake of breath. Draco stopped immediately, "Shit, I forgot."
She placed a hand delicately on her wound and said, "No problem."
He could easily tell she was lying. "Hermione." His voice was stern. "What have I told you about lying to me?"
"Sorry. It does hurt a bit." She told him.
"A bit, or a lot?"
She grimaced. "Maybe a lot."
Draco stood up, said "You should have told me before," and walked off down the stairs. When he returned a few minutes later, he said to her, "I've just paid the bill. Let me take you home now."
Allowing him to help her out of her seat, Hermione wrapped an arm about his shoulders and put some of her weight on him. He helped her down the stairs and out into the street. The car was still sitting where they had left it, and once Draco made sure Hermione was comfortable in her seat, he talked to the driver briefly.
Within the minute they were traveling back to Hermione's house. They were both silent, but at one point, Draco reached across and took Hermione's hand tenderly in his own. They arrived, and Draco walked her to the door. Without hesitation, he let go of Hermione's hand and surged forward to press the doorbell before Hermione could stop him.
"Draco!" Hermione exclaimed, knowing her parents would have something to say for waking them up at this late hour. "Please don't do that."
"Why not?" He asked curiously without turning to face her, his finger itching towards it once more.
"It's more dangerous when you press it at night." Hermione lied. "The chances of floods are much higher." She almost winced at how bad her lying was, but although Draco claimed he could always tell when she was lying, apparently, this time he didn't.
He visibly shrunk back from the doorbell. "Oh."
Concealing a smile by looking back over her shoulder, she said "I've had a wonderful time. I can't wait till I tell mum I went to Rome for dinner."
Draco's expression relaxed, and he very gently wrapped her in a hug and kissed her goodnight. Pulling away, he asked "Would you like to do this again some time?"
Hermione smiled and nodded, "Yes. I love you, therefore I love every moment spent with you."
"Including the moment we killed Voldemort?" Draco teased her.
"Excluding that moment."
"Ah." He said quietly. "You'd better go get some rest. I'll check up on you tomorrow." Hermione nodded and reached for the door handle. "Oh, and I hope I haven't caused a flood." He said sincerely. "Tell your parents I'll pay for the damage if I have."
"I will." She replied, opening the door. Hermione turned to face him, leaning on the side of the door. "Goodnight Mr. Malfoy," she said, mocking the formality of the evening.
"Goodnight," he smiled, and she closed the door with a soft click. As he turned and walked back to the car, he whispered, "Mrs. Malfoy."
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A/N- Thanks for reading. I enjoyed writing this chapter for some reason. Merry Christmas to everyone, I love your reviews, have a very safe and happy holiday.
Halfling.
