Disclaimer: i still haven't got around to buying the copyright from ms. rowling so no i don't own anything...yet ;)

I could lose my heart tonight
If you don't turn and walk away
Coz the way I feel I might
Lose control and let you stay

Coz I could take you in my arms
And never let go

I could fall in love with you
I could fall in love with you

I can only wonder how
Touching you would make me feel
But if I take that chance right now
Tomorrow will you want me still

So I should keep this to myself
And never let you know

I know it's not right
And I guess I should try to do what I should do
But I could fall in love, fall in love with you

"I Could Fall in Love" -Selena

The Perfect Life

Chapter 7 – I love her, I love her not

Draco sat behind his desk in his office staring blankly ahead of him. His mind kept replaying the events of last night, remembering the surreal emotions he felt. 'I'm not in love. I'm not. I'm just confused, is all. I'm Draco Malfoy for Merlin's sake. I don't fall in love. I take advantage of women's vulnerability. That's what we do. Malfoys don't fall in love. It's simply unheard of.' But it seems every time he's had himself convinced that Hermione meant nothing to him, he is again reminded of her smiling face and the way her hair bounced when she laughed. 'God, she's beautiful. How did I not see that before?' His face was hard and straight, the seriousness of thought pulsing through the vein on his forehead. It wasn't until Ron snapped his fingers in front of Draco that he snapped out of his reverie.

"Malfoy! What the bloody hell is going on with you? You've been drifting in and out of daydream all day. I'm gonna need your full concentration if we're to get anything done today." Ron eyed his employee carefully, probably contemplating whether to just send him home or not.

Draco blinked several times and shook his head to clear his mind, shifting to sit up straight in his chair.

"Well, Malfoy?"

He cleared his throat. "Yea, sure Weasley. Whatever."

Ron frowned in disapproval, finally deciding Draco must be stressed over some reason or another. "Why don't you go to lunch and we'll pick this up where we left off." Ron gathered some folders with him and left the blonde's office. Once he had gone, Draco leaned back and heaved out a deep breath, hands over his eyes.

"I gotta stop thinking about this," he groaned to himself. "Before I actually start believing that I do love her." Softly, there was a knock on the door.

"What do you want!" Draco yelled through his hands, not bothering to move at all.

The door creaked open. "Draco?"

Draco knew that voice. He didn't like that voice, no more than he liked the person to which it belonged to. He lifted his head up apathetically. "What are you doing here Potter?"

"Just wondering if you wanted to have a few drinks over at the pub," Harry replied allowing himself in.

Draco looked at him with disinterest. "Can't you see I'm working Potter? I don't bother you with whatever it is you do."

Harry scratched his head. "But I just ran into Ron. He said he just gave you a lunch break."

"Yea that no good prat I bloody work for," he mumbled.

"What was that?"

"I said I'm working through lunch Potter," he lied. "It could take a while."

"It's alright then. I'll wait." Harry grabbed a chair and sat patiently as Draco watched him venomously from behind the desk. 'Damn. I don't think he's going anywhere.'

"Fine! I'll go, just…get out my office."

:o)

Harry entered the pub all smiles with Draco lagging behind him, feet dragging and an annoyed scowl daunting his usually handsome features.

Choosing a table next to the bar, Harry motioned for Draco to follow. Hesitantly, he eventually did. A second or two later, two beautiful Spanish girls entered the pub, talking and laughing with each other. Harry stiffened, a sad longing look in his eyes as he stared at them walking past their table. As they did so, the girls glanced at Draco, whispering and giggling. Slightly disappointed, Harry shyly lowered his head and ducked down in so keeping his head leveled just above the surface of the table.

Draco snorted. "What's with you, Potter?"

He leaned over closer, much to Draco's displeasure. "You know those girls who just walked in? They're on the team with me, and I kinda fancy the tall one," Harry whispered self-consciously. "Her name's Valerie." He blushed as he said her name.

Draco averted his gaze to the bar where the girls now sat, every now and again stealing a glance his way. "No," he finally said flatly. Harry stared at the blonde with confusion. "No what?" "She's too tall for you."

Harry slumped back in his seat; quietly staring at the table surface like a child would after being denied his favourite toy. Draco laughed. Watching Harry Potter's weakness when it came to the opposite sex was most amusing to him. "Besides, she's way out of your league."

"But she's just so amazing, and I was hoping you could help me…win her heart maybe…" he looked up at him with hope.

Draco laughed again. "Not likely." Harry slumped back down again, wincing silently. "Christ Potter, why not just go up and ask the-" He was interrupted upon seeing one of the Spanish girls, the shorter one, standing by the side of the table staring at Draco intently.

"Harry, long time no see," she said, eyes still fixated on the former Slytherin prince.

Harry's brows twitched together. "What are you talking about? I just saw you at practice this morn—ouch!" Harry yelped in pain after the girl had given him a swift kick to the shins.

"Sorry how clumsy of me," she giggled. "Well aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?"

"Hey I'm not his friend," Draco quickly shot out, but then relaxed back in his chair, regaining his laid-back composure.

Harry frowned, still rubbing his shin to numb the pain. "Uh… that's Draco. And Draco, this is-"

"Teresa," the girl cut in, offering her hand to the brooding blonde acting unaffected by anything around him, even by the flirting witch batting eyelashes at him. "It's a pleasure, I'm sure."

"Right," was all he said, shaking her hand.

"You know, I'm one of the chasers on Harry's team," she said in an attempt to sound impressing.

"He knows Teresa. I told him," Harry retorted. Teresa shot him an evil glare before turning back to Draco with a saccharine smile.

"You know, you look awfully familiar," she continued, taking a seat uninvited next to him. "Are you sure I haven't seen you before?"

"You probably have. Or at least my father anyway…Lucius Malfoy."

Teresa's eyes widened. "Malfoy? You're Draco Malfoy? Wow you're…" Her hazel eyes swept over his entire body. "You're even more built and muscular than I thought." She traced her fingers along his arm and giggled girlishly. "My, my. Big biceps must be in the Malfoy DNA. I'd like to take a dip in that gene pool." She winked suggestively.

Harry had had enough. This cheap display was simply making him sick to his stomach. "For Merlin's sake Teresa! Roll your tongue back up and use your eyes," he snapped. "If you'd looked at all, the man is married. M-A-R-R-I-E-D!" He pointed to the wedding band occupying Draco's ring finger.

Teresa glowered at Harry but recomposed herself in time to turn back to Draco. "Anyway, I should be going. My friend's waiting for me. But here's my address if you're interested," she whispered so close to his ear, he felt her hot breath on his neck, as she slipped a small piece of paper under his hand.

She then stood up and walked away, waving flirtatiously.

Harry laughed. "How do you do it? You're already married and you still have women chasing after you."

Draco smirked knowingly. "What can I say? It's a gift." He picked up the piece of paper left on the table, and casually pocketed it.

The grin on Harry's face faded. "Woah, what are you doing?"

"What?" Draco looked up innocently.

"You're not seriously thinking about seeing her again, are you?"

Draco shrugged. "And what if I am?"

"Draco, she's the team whore! She's probably slept with every man she's come across with a pulse." He paused. "…well except for me."

Sigh. "There's a reason for that. She's hot. You're not."

Harry tensed, staring at the wizard across from him incredulously. "Wha…You…you have a family," he reasoned, having trouble forming the right words. "You can't fool around behind Hermione's back. You can't do that to her."

"Says who?"

Harry's eyes widened, surprised Draco was taking this so lightly. "I dunno…the marriage laws maybe! The point is, I know you would never do anything to hurt Hermione. You love her too much."

Draco smirked evilly, the same one he's used during their Hogwarts days. "Watch me." After saying that he got up and left the pub, leaving Harry in utter confusion and worry; unable to believe what had just happened.

Several hours later…

'I'm doing the right thing,' Draco convinced himself as he walked the corridors to Teresa's apartment. 'I've got to do this to get back to my old self. If I don't, I could end up like Potter or Weasley.' He found her apartment number and knocked. 'See? I'm not in love. If I were, I'd actually feel guilty for even considering this girl.' The door opened revealing the smiling face of Teresa.

"Mr. Malfoy. Nice to see you again so soon." He smiled charmingly as he entered her flat. 'See how easy this is? I'm not changing. I'm not falling in love. I'm still the same old Draco Malfoy.'

"So Mr. Malfoy, did the wife let you out to play?" she asked teasingly, closing the distance between them as soon as she'd shut the door.

He chuckled. "Ah, the wife. What she doesn't know won't hurt her." Their faces were so close to each other, their mouths only centimeters apart.

She smiled. "Stay here for a second. I'll just slip into something more comfortable." She winked then left him in the living room.

Draco took deep breaths. 'Come on Draco. This is no big deal. You used to do this all the time. And you were quite good at it too. Nothing's changed.' He paced the room, rubbing his hands together in apprehension. 'What the bloody hell is wrong with me? I've never been nervous about taking advantage of a girl before. I used to have fun doing it!'

"Oh Mr. Malfoy," a voice purred from the other end of the room. Draco turned around and his eyes nearly rolled out of its sockets. There, Teresa stood wearing nothing but a very small piece of lingerie. She looked very sexy to say the least.

'Wow…Hermione would look amazing in that.' He shook his head violently to clear his mind. 'Would you stop that! You're here to shag this woman, not think about the mudblood.'

"Mr. Malfoy is there something wrong?"

He heaved out a breath. "No. Nothing at all."

"Good." She slowly crossed the room to where Draco hadn't moved since she reentered, and took his hands to wrap it around herself. "You know, I've always wanted a man of your position to touch me, hold me…maybe even kiss me." She placed her hands behind his neck and pulled him into a kiss.

"Mmm," she moaned, trying to gain access into his mouth by licking his bottom lip and tenderly massaging her fingers through his hair. Reluctantly so, he did. Suddenly his eyes flew open and he stiffened in her embrace. Draco wanted to go through with this, he really did. Just to prove to himself he hasn't changed at all. He was still the same sleep-with-any-girl-he-pleases Draco Malfoy. But he couldn't. He roughly pulled himself off of her, rubbing at his forehead.

"What's the matter?" Teresa stared at him in surprise.

"Um…nothing. It's nothing." He recollected himself together before leaning down again to kiss her. But every time he did, he couldn't shake the feeling of regret and betrayal gnawing at his insides. Just as Teresa reached for the zipper to undo his pants, he shoved her off again, her small body landing to the couch.

"What is the matter with you!" she screeched, more angry than confused.

Draco ran both hands through his hair. 'Why in hell can't I stop thinking about Hermione? She means nothing to me, absolutely nothing! I'm not in love; I don't even like her sometimes.' He was breathing hard and frowning. "I hate her, I hate her…" he continually muttered to himself, softly pacing about as Teresa looked on.

"Hate who?" she drawled dangerously, thinking he probably meant her.

"God dammit!" he yelled, hitting the air around him. Teresa even shrunk back slightly a little afraid he might lash out without warning. "Christ, Potter was right. I can't do this to her. I can't."

"Draco-"

"I'm sorry Teresa. I can't do this. I just can't. I'm married," he replied not looking at her directly.

"Really, what happened to 'what she doesn't know won't hurt her'?" She raised an eyebrow in annoyance.

He frowned at her. 'Man, Potter was right about her too. She is rather irritating.' "And you think by arguing with me I'm going to change my mind and have sex with you?" 'She must be daft if she says yes.'

Teresa stubbornly stood up and crossed her arms. "Maybe."

Draco rolled his eyes. "Look. Just forget it right? I'm not shagging you and that's it. I'm out of here." He turned the knob to let himself out but she threw herself at the door, causing it to slam shut once more.

"You're not going anywhere Draco Malfoy." She pressed herself up against his body. "No one walks away from me. No one." She advanced towards him, with every step she took forward he took one backward until the back of his knees hit the couch and Draco fell onto the cushions. Teresa grinned sadistically and sat on his lap, each leg on either side of him.

"Come on Draco. You can't possibly tell me you don't find me irresistible." She dipped low to land a deep kiss on his mouth.

He picked her up by the hips, only to throw her to the side like a cheap rag. "I already told you no. I've got kids okay? And I care for them. I'm not about to turn my back on my children just for a cheap thrill." Teresa stared at him, jaw dropped. "And Hermione…" The words floated out of his mouth before he even realized what was being said. "…I love her too damn much to ever wanna hurt her. I'm never going to cheat on my wife." He paused for a breath, as if he just heard himself saying these things.

'What the- I just said I love Hermione.' Draco scowled at himself inwardly as he hurriedly escaped from that woman's apartment. He felt like he was hyperventilating as he half-walked half-ran down the corridor to the lifts. 'Good Merlin, I have changed! I can't just shag any woman I want anymore. I think I am falling in love…fuck!'

Mumbling silent curses to himself, he worriedly left Teresa's building trying to figure how to deal with these feelings, which until recently were foreign to him.

AN: i just got a flood of ideas for this story the other day so i'm excited about writing future chappies for this story. however i am still willing to consider ideas if u've got any. actually i was gonna make this chappie longer but i figure i'll just split it into 2 separate chapters. newho i hope u enjoyed the read coz i luv reading ur reviews :P and if anyone can recomend a good fic pleez tell me...i am soo utterly and completely bored