Disclaimer: See Prologue

Anarane Anwamane- Lol! He is, isn't he!

Sesshomaru-is-my-master- A person of many words, aren't you! P

Riley Black- Thank you kindly.

IceAngel3- Actually I haven't seen it done that many times at all when it pertains to Harry Potter. Especially in a Hermione/Severus pairing.

ShellyD1982- Unfortunately, that reaction was rather anticlimactic...sorry, I tried!

Alenor- We'll have to see, won't we? )

WiccaWitch- Lol...I'm glad that you like it so much.

Sunsun18- Draco does love her a lot...however as you'll find out in this chapter and the next chapter, it would be rather awkward for the two of them to get together.

ALSO, A BIG THANKS TO

Snow-Fairie

Migrating Coconuts06

Watergoddesskasey

You guys are all awesome!

I'M SORRY I'M SORRY I'M SORRY! I've had a lot going on this summer...and since my senior year in high school just finished up, I can't just sit around and update to my heart's content (No matter how much I want to). I WILL update as often as I can, and now that things are starting to even out (And I'm starting to figure out how to manage a full-time job on top of working my brand new baby colt, Dragon) I should be able to update much more often. Don't kill me!

Kisses!

Allison

Chapter 5

Crystal swung her hips, arching her back as she danced and sang, her hips against Amy's as they danced, smiling coyly. The audience watched in rapture as the song ended and Crys jumped back off of the bar. Tiff walked to the bar. "Alright, everyone! Tonight's extra Special! We are being visited by our own law-school student Coyote, Chloe! Come on up and give us a dance for old time's sake, Chloe!" Crystal laughed and watched as Chloe was born forward despite her protests.

"I am a paying customer tonight, a PAYING CUSTOMER! NO, NOOO!" The gorgeous black woman yelped as she was put up onto the bar and the music began. Crystal began filling pitchers of water and handing them to the three women. When all of them had two, they began to dance, pouring the water over themselves and each other as they did. Crys jumped up onto the bar and began dancing with the other three very wet women, dropping to her knees and throwing her head back to have two pitchers thrown over her head slowly. She lifted her head and her glittering brown eyes met icey black ones.

Feeling her blood run cold, Crystal stood up and continued dancing, watching him. After a few moments where she and Amy were pressed against each other, shaking their hips like they did every night, the man turned and walked out. She ran to the edge of the bar, using the pole to lean out. "Severus, Severus, Wait!" She jumped down and ran up to him. "Severus...it's not what you think..."

"Then what is it?" He snarled. "You are not the Hermione Granger I knew and loved." He turned and stormed away leaving Crystal standing there, her heart bleeding. She looked back up at her friends on the bar, who shook their heads and held hands out to her. With a sigh, she went back to her life.

Draco knew immediately that something was wrong the next time he saw Crystal Rogers. Not only did she look like she'd been through hell- black circles under her eyes and no makeup- but she looked at him and the warm spark that he'd come to expect wasn't in her golden eyes. He hurried to her. "Crys! Crys...what's wrong?" He had a sinking feeling in his gut as he realized what Severus' visit had done to her.

"I have to move." She whispered. "I can't stay in New York. I'm sorry, Draco..."

"You're stronger than this, Crystal." Draco said, making his voice hard. She looked up at him in surprise. "Don't you DARE run from whatever the problem is. That's not the answer...it's just the way to get yourself hurt worse again and again because whoever did this wins." He hugged her tightly to him. "You're better than that...don't let them win." He whispered, looking down at her.

"But..." He cut her off in frustration by crushing his lips to hers. Her eyes widened in surprise and she yanked back out of reflex. He stared down at her, shaking his head and sighing.

"I tell you what...my boyfriend and I are going to take you out to dinner tomorrow at eleven. Okay?" He said.

"Um...okay? I'll try to get off at Ten Thirty at the latest, then..." She said, warily.

"Good. We'll meet you at our hotel and then go out with you!"

"Okay..." Crys said, smiling faintly. He turned and walked away. She watched him before shaking her head and walking across the street to the apartment complex. She wanted to catch a nap before going to work that night.

SCENEBREAKSCENEBREAKSCENEBREAK (I'm tired of it deleting my scene breaks)

"Tiff...I have to get off at Ten Thirty tonight!" Crys called over the din of the crowd.

"For what!" Tiff asked.

"Remember what I told you last night? Draco sprung dinner on me?" Crys handed out a drink.

"Oh, right, right! Okay, ten thirty it is!" Tiff called.

Two hours later, at Ten thirty, they were slammed. Crys felt a sinking feeling as she handed out another drink. "Tiff, I have to go!"

"What? You can't go now! Look at this crowd!"

"But they're my friends!"

"And this is the bar that you've made even more famous! I'm sorry, London, but yuou can't leave!"

"You can't stop me!"

"Honey, if you were going to leave, you would have already been gone." Tiff said, gently. Crys sighed and hurried to the pay phone, calling Draco.

"What do you mean you're not coming!" Draco asked, upset. Harry looked up from the bed where he'd been cuddling with Draco.

"I'm sorry, Dray! We're really busy and Tiff needs me!"

"Tiff doesn't rule your life, Crys!"

"I'm sorry!" Crystal said. "I'll call you tomorrow!" She hung up and hurried back to work.

Draco slammed down the reciever and looked helplessly at Harry. He then stood up and hurried out the door.

Crystal was dancing when a man got up on the bar, unwanted and unallowed. "Marcus...this isn't allowed! You're not allowed to do this!" She called with a laugh. He put his hands on her hips and she gently pulled them off each time. "Marcus, you're not allowed to do this!" She was already reaching for the ice bucket when a blonde fury dragged the man in front of her off of the bar and beginning to beat him up. She jumped into the crowd.

"Draco, STOP!" She called, grabbing his fist. "Marcus is a regular! Don't do this! He was just having fun!"

"Fun? He was trying to cop a feel." Draco snarled. "You think they come to hear you sing? They come to see a bunch of sluts flaunt your chests and your asses!" He turned and walked out. Crys spared a backwards glance at Tiff as she followed him out. Tiff didn't look happy.

"You're such an asshole, Malfoy!" Crystal sneered. He turned to her in surprise. "I'd almost forgotten why I'd left." Draco's eyes were as wide as saucers as he stared at her. Her eyes were narrowed and she had an odd, half-crazy smile on her face. "You're the same arrogant, pig-headed deatheater-wannabe PRICK that you were in school!"

Draco's jaw dropped. "H-Hermione?"

"No. Albus fucking DUMBLEDORE!" She snarled sarcastically as she turned and walked away from him. Draco just stared in disbelief at the spot she'd just vacated.

Inside, Tiff handed Crys her clothes. "Come back tomorrow for your last paycheck."

"You're firing me?"

"I told you. No boyfriends."

"He's not my boyfriend! He's not even a FRIEND!" Crys protested.

"Rules are rules, Crys. I've fired girls for less."

"Rules! It's a BAR, Tiff! It's JUST A BAR!"

"Yes, it is." Tiff said, hiding her own hurt. "So why are you upset?"

Crystal watched in disbelief as she walked away.