The Bodyguard
(Rated PG-13 for coarse language, sexual references and mature themes)
Disclaimer: While I have no proper one, I'll give it a shot ... The characters Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and all other people, things, etc affiliated with the world of Harry Potter do not belong to me, but to J.K. Rowling. I am making no profits from this story. Shows like Hack and other entertainment programs, films, etc do not belong to me either, but to their creators, etc. Do not sue me. I own nothing (except for Tammy Harding - she's mine).
Summary: She was the successful, intelligent and hard-working Ministry official. He was the partying, rich and gorgeous playboy. But when Hermione Granger is unwittingly hired a bodyguard in the form of Draco Malfoy, the people who believe that opposites attract even say that they themselves are wrong ...
Right?
THE BODYGUARD
Chapter 10 - Back to Work
It was raining again.
Hermione stared out of the window at the cold background below as the rain poured down in a somewhat sad but contemplative manner. Water was sliding down the window pane steadily, leaving behind little droplets. She couldn't see the sky properly; it was just a mass of grey storm clouds pouring out water. Little ant-like people ran around desperately searching for shelter. The window was fogging up.
"Matching up the weather with your personality, perhaps?" Draco's voice startled her.
"Malfoy!" Hermione jumped. The last time Draco startled her, she'd nearly severed her finger. She inwardly cleared her voice and then adopted an angry tone. "What are you doing in my room?"
"Keep your knickers off, Granger; I'm going to the bathroom." Draco sneered, throwing her a sarcastic look. "Unless, of course, you'd like to join me," She scowled at him and he continued on his way.
'It doesn't give me any consolation that he's been thinking about my knickers.' Hermione furrowed her brow. 'Oh, gross! Draco Malfoy thinking about my underwear ... I need to get out more.'
And get out more she would – today was the first day back to work after the holidays, and after Olivia's now infamous public outburst.
Hermione padded into the kitchen, and pulled out a packet of microwave porridge mix and a bottle of milk. Whilst she may have been absolutely horrid at conjuring food or cooking it the Muggle way, the microwave was still as useful as ever. She had dubbed it her culinary best friend; as it seemed like the least likely thing to blow up, aside from the fridge.
After Hermione had emptied the packet into a bowl and added the sufficient amount of milk to it, she stood around her kitchen waiting for the microwave to finish cooking her breakfast. She smirked to herself at the comparisons she had just made. Whilst the microwave was her culinary best friend and least likely to blow up, Harry was her human best friend and most likely to blow up after the other one.
"Why, Granger, I never knew that you cared." Draco appeared in the kitchen. Hermione blinked. Draco had got to stop appearing so suddenly around her. If he kept this up, she'd probably end up killing herself from being startled so much
"What?" Hermione asked in her usual dealing-with-Draco tone.
"Well you made me breakfast." Draco gave Hermione an incredibly deceiving smile that had no genuine happiness or warm emotions in it. His eyes remained the same as outside - stormy, grey and gloomy.
"Excuse me, you prat, that is MY --" Hermione objected as she was interrupted with the ding from the microwave.
"Move it or lose it, Granger." Draco said as he stepped in front of Hermione, only a few inches away from her face. Hermione was almost scared to look into his stormy eyes for fear that they were red or some other unnatural eye colour.
"Don't you DARE boss me around in my own household, Malfoy!" Hermione snapped, pushing Draco back towards the kitchen bench.
"What? Right here, right now, on the kitchen bench?" Draco answered an unasked question. Nothing moved or changed but his eyes which scanned up and down Hermione's face, surprisingly, instead of the rest of her form. "Kinky, aren't you?" Hermione let out a frustrated groan. "You know, I could make that moan come out when you're in a more ... compromising position."
"Get off my bench, Malfoy." Hermione said, turning towards the microwave. Ignoring him would be best, perhaps.
"Floor more comfortable, perhaps? Or maybe somewhere more ... exotic?" Draco raised an eyebrow in the manner of a challenge and yet another attempted seduction. Hermione spun around. Ignoring is not best.
"No, actually, I'm going to have to sterilise my bench now that you've been on that." Hermione replied. "Now get off my bench – today's the first day back to work and I haven't got any time for this."
"If you haven't noticed; I'm going back to work too." Draco retaliated. "And aren't we getting a bit sardonic here?"
"There isn't a 'we' in this or any other situation, Malfoy!" Hermione spat. "Never has been and never will be."
"Vicious AND sardonic; you're quite the deal, aren't you Granger?" Draco drawled. He loved getting Hermione mad; he found it entertaining when the smartest witch in his grade got riled up over something small which he had said.
"Is this what you enjoy, Malfoy? Sneaking up on me and arguing with me and shooting off spiteful comments to me and stealing my food and disrupting work and insinuating sexual things and kis-" Hermione stopped herself short. She was losing where the sentence was going.
Draco held a dominant smirk on his face.
"Disrupting work, insinuating sexual things and what, exactly?" Draco crossed his arms expectantly.
"Nothing." Hermione dodged. The smirk grew.
"Hmm, you see, when you say 'nothing', I don't believe you. Can you tell me why?"
"I have work today, Malfoy. I'm not in the mood to bicker so much with you – I'd rather keep my IQ points."
"So does that mean it makes you dumber every time you fight – and lose – with me?"
"It means that I've been silly enough to reduce myself to you." Hermione was gritting her teeth. She glanced at the clock. "And now I'm late! That's great you …"
"Jerkass?" Draco supplied, reminding them of their last argument.
"Yes!"
"Wow you really are losing IQ points … you need my help to insult myself."
Hermione ignored him and went to her bedroom to change into her work clothes.
"We're leaving!" she yelled as she came out of the room.
"'We're'? Wow … and here I was thinking that you were telling the truth when you said that there wasn't such thing as a 'we'."
Hermione let out a frustrated growl. "What a stupid, bloody dic—"
POP!
Hermione Apparated to the office.
POP!
Draco had followed.
"You know, you really are great at being such a child." Hermione said as she bustled to Tammy.
"Hey, Hermione!" Tammy said perkily. She swayed her upper body to the side and grinned flirtatiously. "Hi, Draco,"
Draco winked mysteriously in reply. Tammy giggled almost insanely. Hermione cleared her throat.
"Yes, well we'll be going now." She said rather forcedly, gripping at Draco's arm.
"But I was thinking that we could have a chat …?" Tammy asked Hermione, even though it was obvious that she meant Draco.
"Well, actually –" Draco went to pull up a seat.
"- We have work to do." Hermione finished for him, smiling pleasantly.
"Aw, come on, Hermies." Tammy pouted at her. Some men would have found this attractive. Hermione thought, albeit absent-mindedly, that she looked like a bulldog. "Surely, you can just spare a few minutes?"
"Yeah, Hermies, just a few minutes," Draco smirked at her. "I highly doubt that the pot plant is going to develop homicidal tendencies anytime soon."
Tammy giggled and slapped Draco playfully on the arm. "You're so naughty sometimes," she chuckled. When Tammy turned to take a sip of her coffee, Draco shot Hermione a 'she-thinks-I'm-naughty' look. Hermione shot back a 'I-think-you're-insane' look.
"So what do you say, Hermies?" Tammy pleaded. "It's the first day back to work – nobody takes it seriously."
"Top of the morning to you, Miss Granger," Gary Tanner's familiar and friendly face popped up from the wall of the cubicle behind Tammy. "Lucky you've just come … I've got some files for you to sign and check over. It looks like the holiday period has more crime than Potter's hours of moping."
"What?" Hermione asked, taking the files. Draco scowled. There he was again; Potter, poking into everything, even when he wasn't even there.
"Haven't you seen him?" Gary asked Hermione, now leaning on the top of the grey, woolly wall. (A/N: Well you know how in some offices the cubicle walls have those little bally wool things on them … -- proves yet again that the author of this story is equipped with a big group of words.-- Erm … yeah)
"No, I only just got here," Hermione said, in avertedly moving her head to Draco.
"Oh, right," Gary said, looking quickly at Draco, but then turning straight after to Hermione. Draco had given him a scowl too. "Well, you should see the state that he's in. Hasn't shaved, red eyes, more than usual ruffled hair …"
"Oh, dear," Hermione said, feeling like something had lodged into her throat. What was that; and that hot feeling rising up her spine? Oh right; she knew what that was.
Guilt.
"Last time I checked up on him he looked like he was ready to drown himself in his coffee." Gary said grimly. Draco scoffed slightly; and it quickly turned into a hacking cough when Hermione gave him a dangerous look.
"Hmm … I guess I'll check up on him then. Thanks, Gary." Hermione smiled weakly. Gary nodded and then ducked back to his cubicle.
That hot feeling up her spine was getting tingly now, and she knew that Harry's present state was because of her. Even though it wasn't really her fault – it was more Olivia's – she couldn't help but feel more than a little responsible for the rather messy break-up in Diagon Alley. After all, if she hadn't hugged Harry then Olivia wouldn't have gotten so paranoid and broke it off.
Then again, Olivia seemed to be the type of person who would be paranoid if she saw Harry talking to another female – whether it be Hermione, or … Olivia's grandmother.
Hermione wrinkled her nose slightly.
'Eurgh; that was an odd analogy,'
"You know, Hermies," Draco sneered, "I found it rather interesting that you're willing to visit Potter when he looks a little scruffy, but you don't dare talk to your other friend whom you haven't seen for about two weeks."
"Sorry, Drakie, but Harry's just had a bit of a tough time lately, and I can always catch up with Tammy during the lunch break."
"But you could always catch up with Potter during the lunch break too, Hermies." Draco smiled, showcasing all of his straight, white teeth. "You know, this sounds like favouritism, almost."
"Almost," Hermione smiled back. "But it's not."
"You can spare Harry a few minutes but not me? Come on, Hermies, it's just like a mini girly time." Tammy intercepted. It seemed like Draco was doing more arguing than her – and she was the one who wanted to talk in the first place.
"Yes, well I would have agreed with you, but since Malfoy decided to sleep in my bed, I'm sure that he should be given the opportunity to live up to his own phrase of 'springing up comfortably'; just in case the pot plant does develop homicidal tendencies."
Tammy frowned slightly. Draco sleeping with Hermione … In her bed? Did this mean that they had … Tammy looked at Draco. He didn't seem to be meeting her eyes – instead he was too busy looking at Hermione. She didn't really seem to notice that it was a look of malice – just that he was looking at Hermione, and not at her, and not bothering to deny any of what Hermione had just said.
So this was what it felt like to be rejected.
"I'm going to see Harry." Hermione said. She found it increasingly (and oddly) scary to be looking into Draco's eyes. It was just like the storm outside.
Hermione went off in search of Harry's cubicle. She heard footsteps behind her.
"See you've come to tag along," she said somewhat grimly as she poked her head around the office.
"I am the bodyguard after all," Draco said from behind her.
"More like a crime to humanity," Hermione said faintly as she continued looking for Harry. She entered the more sparsely populated area of the office – Harry, even though he had shared friendship, wealth and kindness abundantly – preferred a quieter space to work in; especially when there were troubles in the love life.
Practically all the cubicles in sight were empty. Only the tops of people's heads could be seen – they looked like different ice cream flavours in their own individual tubs. Right there was Alinka Billhorn, the blue haired Auror who looked like she was blueberry ice cream. Normally Hermione wouldn't know all the people who ever entered her department, but she remembered Alinka because of her hair.
Looking more over, she saw a sandy blonde head. That was a vanilla flavour. Turning around she saw a silky brown head. That was chocolate.
Now to find dark chocolate – Harry, naturally.
"Why thank you. I find that the phrase 'Crime to humanity' was always quite a charming one." Draco said as he winked to the back of Hermione's head. She could tell – the wink was even in his voice. "It's always been fun to be the bad boy."
And with that, he pinched Hermione's behind.
"HEY!" she yelled as she jumped up in the air, grabbing her behind.
GRAP!
Hermione's sensible working heels slid along the carpet as she landed, and she fell behind-first onto the dark blue floor.
"ARGH!" Hermione yelled as her behind collided painfully onto the carpet.
"Smooth," Draco remarked, not showing any signs of helping her up.
Hermione groaned. Who knew that falling onto such a fleshy area could cause so much pain?
"Can't you at least help me up?" she muttered, extending her arm behind her.
"Sorry, my job description doesn't cover lifting heavy objects." Draco smirked, defiantly crossing his arms.
Hermione let out an angered cry and tried (unsuccessfully) to try and get back up.
"I can hardly call it a job." Hermione quipped as she momentarily abandoned getting back up, and instead slipped her shoe back on. "Just help me up." Once again, she extended the arm.
Draco rolled his eyes. "Fine, then."
Ignoring the arm, he crouched down and winded his arms around Hermione's stomach and yanked her up.
It would have been almost romantic if he had done it more gently, but unfortunately, Draco Malfoy did not do romantic.
But his arms didn't leave Hermione's stomach.
"Thank you," Hermione cleared her throat, dimly aware of the fact that the hot feeling up her spine wasn't guilt anymore.
"My pleasure," Draco said. He breathed in, and all he could smell was pears. Her hair smelled like pears.
He liked pears.
"Well …" Hermione said, in a futile attempt to cover up the awkward silence.
"Well …" Draco smirked. Leaving his left arm around her stomach, Draco lifted his right to pull back a little bit of hair from Hermione's left shoulder. He rested his chin on her now bare shoulder.
"I …" Hermione blinked wildly at the ceiling, not remembering why on earth she had chosen to walk into such a deserted part of the office. All she was aware of now were the magically lit fluorescent lights and Draco's left arm that was snaked around her stomach.
"You …" Draco continued for her. His right arm was now moving back to Hermione's stomach and stopped on top of his other arm. He didn't know if he did or even why, but he seemed to be mildly enjoying this. Not the bit when he watched Hermione become all embarrassed (he always enjoyed those), but the part where he could tell how Hermione was reacting, just because he had his arms around her stomach.
"I …" Hermione tried yet again. Her wide vocabulary and smart way of thinking had momentarily left her. She couldn't think of anything intelligent to say … In fact, she couldn't think of anything to say, full stop.
"Yes?" Draco asked and he smirked slightly. He kissed the top of her shoulder.
"We …" Hermione cleared her throat. What was she trying to say? She couldn't think of anything right now, except for the fact that her left shoulder felt fantastic.
"Hermione, is that you?" a distant voice called out. It was Harry.
Immediately, Hermione snapped out of vegetable-like state. It was as if she had been hypnotised and somebody had given her a nice, hard shake. Hearing Harry's voice let the extensive list of words, smart phrasing and normal Hermione thoughts enter her head. She became aware that she was at work; that the fluorescent light was flickering slightly. That Draco still had his arms around her.
"What do you think you're doing?" Hermione snapped crossly, disentangling herself from Draco.
"What did you think?" Draco asked, playfully crossing his arms. He had obviously enjoyed teasing Hermione.
"I …" Hermione looked at him. He had a cheeky look on his face. But this kind of cheeky wasn't a boyish, playful and innocent type. It was a naughty, suggestive kind of cheeky. "Don't even touch me again!"
"You didn't look like you were disagreeing." Draco remarked, winking at her.
"Just keep your filthy hands off of me." Hermione said, heading towards where she had heard Harry's voice. "You obviously have abandonment issues to grip on like that."
"Well that's hardly appropriate, considering that you didn't look like you wanted to abandon me." Draco said, following. He noticed that her left shoulder was still bare.
"Harry!" Hermione called. She had decided not to answer that remark with anything.
"Hermione?" Harry called. They started to sound like they were playing an office version of Marco Polo.
"You stay there." Hermione said, pointing to an office cubicle.
"And what will you do if I don't?" Draco asked, sitting himself down in a wheelie chair, leaning back with his hands to support his head. "Punish me?"
"No, stun you." Hermione said, setting off on her own.
She found Harry sitting in a cubicle next to the window.
He had dumped his share of paperwork on his desk; and there were pens and pencils scattered all over the table. Books titled Awesome Aurors: Your Guide to the Greatest, UP: How to Balance Your Career with Quidditch and Hexes Here, There, Everywhere: A List of Useful Auror Spells were thrown randomly on the desk. There were empty wrappers of Drooble's Best Blowing Bubblegum scattered around and old receipts from Flourish and Blotts and Quality Quidditch Supplies.
Hermione looked up and noticed that there were several framed magical photos on a ledge above the original desk that was attached to the cubicle wall. There were pictures of Harry and herself at his 21st birthday party, of himself, Hermione and Tammy on a night out on the town. Then there was a picture of Harry, Hermione and Ron.
They were on the train after sixth year – Hermione, being the only girl, was in the middle. Harry was on her right and Ron was on her left. She had both her arms resting on their shoulders and Harry had put his left arm on one of hers. Ron had put his right arm around Hermione's waist.
She watched as the picture moved. Ron's hand squeezed her side and she jumped up, sending everybody's limbs flying. Harry was laughing and Ron was chuckling behind his hand. Hermione collapsed onto the seat behind them and they all turned to smile at the camera, waving insanely. Ron was making a funny face.
Hermione was transfixed.
She hadn't seen Ron in such a long time that she had almost forgotten what he looked like. But as she stared at the freckly face before her, twisting itself to poke out its tongue and go cross eyed beneath the mop of flaming red hair, she wondered how she could have even begun to begin forgetting him.
She wished he was back.
'Don't dwell on dreams and forget to live.' The first voice reminded her of what Harry had said to her once.
Hermione tore her eyes away from the picture and perceived that the last photo frame had its face on the ledge. It was obvious that it contained a picture of Olivia.
Olivia.
That reminded why she was here in the first place.
"Harry," she said, looking up.
Harry was sitting in his wheelie chair, facing the window. He had a cup of what looked like coffee in his hands, but didn't seem to be drinking it. It was raining outside still, and Hermione vaguely noted that he looked like her this morning – looking out at the small ant-like people running from the rain; fogging up the glass … watching the fat little water droplets swim down the window pane.
"It's over." Harry said miserably. He took a swig of the coffee. "It's over, Hermione."
"I know." Hermione said. She crouched down next to his legs. "But you'll move on."
Gary had been right. Harry's eyes were bloodshot, his hair was more ruffled than usual and he hadn't shaved. He looked like he hadn't slept or eaten in days; and Hermione was pretty sure that coffee wasn't the only thing in that cup judging by what his breath was telling her.
"But I can't move on!" Harry moped. "I really liked her, Hermione."
"Harry –"
"Just wait." Harry continued "I thought we had a connection. She was such a beautiful person. She was kind, smart, funny, charming …"
"Harry …"
"And now she's gone." Harry stared into the liquid in his cup. There was a ripple in it from the tear that had just fallen off of his face.
"She's not gone, Harry," Hermione tried to reason.
"Of course she's gone!" Harry said. "She's not going to call anymore, she magicked away all of her stuff that she had given me from my apartment. She's gone."
"For goodness' sake, Harry, you make it sound like she's dead and has taken all remnants with her." Hermione said gently.
"She may as well be." Another ripple.
"Listen to me, Harry." Hermione took the coffee cup and set it next to her leg. She gripped his sides with her hands and shook him until he looked at her. "Olivia was never good enough for you anyway. You're smart, funny, talented, courageous … Olivia may have seemed like all of that, but she wasn't. By the looks of things, she was probably just superficial." Harry scowled at her. This wasn't working well.
"Is this supposed to cheer me up?" Harry asked.
"Well, just hear me out. Your qualities are all genuine and go right down to the bone. Olivia's were just a cover over who she really was. Look at her properly, Harry. All she did was talk about you buying jewellery and other expensive things for her." Hermione took a stab at it. Harry didn't protest to what she had said, so it looked like Hermione had gotten it right. "She said that she never went into sport stores … if she was really worth it, she would have spent the entire day there because you liked them. And for crying out loud, Harry, she broke up with you because I was hugging you!"
Hermione wondered when on earth Harry would be able to realise these things for himself instead of having her to show him.
"Well from her point of view it would have looked like that we were having an affair or something …" Harry weakly defended.
"Her point of view doesn't sound very solid, does it?" Hermione pointed out. Harry sniffled.
"I guess not," he agreed finally.
"And look at you! You're gorgeous!" Hermione said, giving his side a reassuring little squeeze. "Hot, even. You could go out there and get a better catch than Olivia in 10 minutes!"
"You think?" Harry emitted some broken chuckles.
"I know," Hermione said wisely.
"And we both know how often you're wrong." Harry smiled.
"Never, even if I say so myself,"
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"I feel like a butler." Draco said as he watched Hermione look through some papers in her office.
"Serves you right to be on the other end of the servant-master line." Hermione said, turning a page over. Draco hmphed.
Hermione read through the page and signed it at the bottom.
"Malfoy, I want some tea!" she called, inwardly laughing.
"Good for you." Draco said, crossing his arms in an attempt to look tough; like a bouncer at one of the many, many, many nightclubs he had been to.
"Tea, Malfoy." Hermione ordered once again.
"I'm a bodyguard, Granger. Not a servant."
"Well you certainly felt like one ten seconds ago." Hermione quipped.
"That was different." Draco's arms tensed. With any luck his muscles looked bigger than before.
"Do explain." Hermione prodded him on, putting away some filing and taking out some more.
"Well, just because you feel like something doesn't necessarily mean that you are that."
"Like how you feel like you're so high and mighty when you're really not?" Hermione asked innocently.
"Hardly, Granger,"
"So explain to me how that's not right."
"Fine, I'll go get your stupid tea." Draco opened to door.
"One third milk, please!" Hermione called, giggling to herself. Oh this moment was priceless – Draco Malfoy, stuck-up egoist getting tea for her like her butler. The power felt extraordinary.
There was a knock on the door.
It was Tammy.
"Hey, Tim Tam," Hermione smiled. "Anything interesting happen worth sharing?" Quite frankly, Hermione was just talking to cover up the shock that Draco wasn't busy flirting shamelessly with her.
"Actually, I was wondering if you could do that."
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, flicking through the paper on her desk.
"Well, how about you start with the conquests of Draco Malfoy."
Hermione looked up from the paperwork to meet the serious eyes of Tamara Harding. "What?"
"You heard me." Tammy said, folding her arms.
"Yes, but that doesn't mean I understand." Hermione said, setting down her luxury eagle feather quill.
"OK, well your story can begin with Draco Malfoy in your bed."
'Oh, God,' Hermione thought.
'Sucked in,' the evil voice said.
"Tammy, the thing is that –"
"How could you, Hermione?" Tammy asked. "You know that I like Draco yet you still go and sleep with him!"
"No –"
"You hate him so much, and I liked him so much, but no! Everything always has to work out for Hermione Granger!" Tammy hands became fisted. "Just because you don't have a boyfriend doesn't mean that you can steal mine to perfect your twisted little world."
"Tam—"
"I'm not having any of it, Hermione!" by now Tammy was shrieking, and Hermione was getting an unpleasant de ja vu of the situation. "I know your love life isn't exactly perfect, Hermies, but that doesn't mean that you can go ruining everybody elses!"
"TAMMY!" Hermione yelled. She was honestly sick of people accusing her of ruining relationships.
"DECIDED TO ADD SALT TO THE WOUND, MAYBE?" Tammy shouted.
"TAMMY!" Hermione got out of her seat. "LISTEN TO ME! I have not slept with Malfoy, I will not sleep with Malfoy and I never, ever, ever will sleep with Malfoy!"
"Sure, Hermione, sure," Tammy remained sceptical, though there was a part of her that knew Hermione was telling the truth.
"Look, I went out on a date and when I came home Malfoy was sleeping in my bed because I always make him sleep on my couch. So instead, I got the couch and he got the bed."
"You got a date?" Tammy asked, blatantly ignoring the fact that Hermione had just justified that she had never slept with Draco.
"Yes, actually, now do you believe me?" Hermione found this slightly amusing.
It looked like a giant load had been taken off of Tammy. She bounded over to the desk , silky brown hair flying after her (Hermione had often envied that hair) and enveloped Hermione in a giant hug.
"Oh, Hermies, it's fantastic that you found someone!" Tammy yelped happily.
"So I don't really suck the life out of everybody else's relationships then?" Hermione raised her eyebrow at Tammy, who promptly turned red.
"Right; sorry about that. I didn't mean it, really. Everybody gets really heated when they argue with each other."
"Are you trying to apologise?"
"Yeah …"
"Apology accepted."
"Hey, that's great … What's his name?" Obviously Tammy was always up for a good gossip.
"Tom," Hermione smiled.
"Tom?" Tammy looked horrified from a moment. "What; like the Leaky Cauldron bartender …?"
"Oh, no. Of course not!" Hermione looked equally horrified.
"Then Tom who?" Tammy was on the verge of wringing her hands.
"I don't know why you're more excited than I am," Hermione said.
"Can't a girl be excited for one of her best friends?" Tammy asked.
"I guess …" Hermione smiled. "He works at Flourish and Blotts, and he's …"
"Flourish and Blotts? Please tell me this man has a social life, Hermies!" Tammy pleaded.
"Don't worry, he has a social life. He's funny, smart, talented and he's so good looking …"
'Is that because he looks just like Draco?' the evil voice asked.
'Shut up,' the good voice replied.
"So if he has a social life … that means that he won't mind going out with you again."
"Yep, in fact we're planning on another date soon."
"Fab!" Tammy smiled. "Then you and Tom and double date with me and Draco."
Hermione gulped. "What?"
"Come on, Hermies! It'll be a great way for him to meet your friends."
"Malfoy is not my friend."
"Well, people who are around you."
"And what about Harry?"
"Well he's got Medusa …"
"You mean Olivia?"
"Yeah, her,"
"Not anymore. He broke up with her."
"But Harry loves Olivia!"
"Actually, her breaking up with him is more appropriate."
"Aww, poor Harry! That must be why he's so down today."
"She broke up with him over me."
"You?"
"Me,"
"Why?"
"I hugged him."
"So she broke up with him?"
"Yeah,"
"That's crazy!"
"That's what I told Harry when I found him spiking his own coffee."
"But it was 9.00am in the morning!"
"Exactly,"
"Poor bloke,"
"Tea," Draco said flatly, re-entering the office with a cup. He spied Tammy. "Oh, hello,"
"We'll talk later."
"I'll see you later then," Tammy smiled at Hermione. Then she turned to Draco. "And I'd better be seeing you later." She pecked him on the cheek and left the room.
That hot feeling up her spine had returned. It wasn't guilt; it wasn't from being lost in the moment …
It was jealousy.
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A/N: And I am afraid my dear readers I will leave it off here. Think of this chapter as an apology because of my lateness. Apologies if this chapter wasn't interesting enough, but this story is going somewhere – I swear! I promise that the next chapter I write is certainly going to be interesting … Even if I do say so myself
Review, review, review! That is about all I can say. Your reviews and thoughts keep me writing, and I'd love to hear what you guys think. Every time you click that little button and typing in a few words keeps me going for another hour!
Now to business section of this …
Thank you fantabulously (I don't care if that's not a word) to everybody who reviewed Chapter 9! Because of what you did, you all deserve what I promised you all – Parisian hot chocolate.
So come and collect your melted hot chocolate (mmm…) if you are: Nubia (just wait and see what Tom has to do with the story), Sunflower18, blonde-brain, HGDM lova, Tacroy, HgBookworm, BIGHARRYFAN, Badbunny (I hope the socks of which I am rocking are funky ones D), finally-defeated, mea, MarauderGrlEvr, kate21, NitenGale (fine; plain ice cream is cool. Happy?), SmilinStar, butterscotchwarrior, kay345, xXxThe coldness of lovExXx, Fiona McKinnon, LilacBlu, chadick and alien726.
Thanks again!
Now, let's see … if you review for this chapter, I think you shall each receive …
Anyway, the holidays are coming to an end and I'll be piled up with work soon, so I'm sorry if there's another huge delay between chapters (Advice: Never take Visual Arts in high school; the workload is terrifying).
Rightio, I've blabbed enough now, so adieu!
Your devoted fanfiction writer,
Look at moiye, ploise! --