WHEE! 46 reviews! Down a little bit from usual, but who am I to complain? I have wonderful reviewers who leave great comments and give me lots of encouragement and inspiration..so THANK YOU to: Eternally Optimistic, Ayantara, PinkLadyRock, keepsmilin', laura truewood, Lara Potter, NicciBubbles, TheDaughterOfKings, LadySimone, LadySimone123, Kitty Weasley, MysteryALASKA, Bloody Corsets, quidditchgirl13, RainDateChick, goblinmonkey, the-insufferable-know-it-all, waterfaerie15, Loku, Tria Marie Val, dreamchubb, xPussyWillowKittenx, Emma-Lynn, GreenEyes, aishteru, N.C. PysChick, MrsPadfootVerona, eckles, AmyChris, True Slytherin Witch, sheltielover, Aqb DK, Fairy Princess, aurorasakura16, hrrypttrfan, SilentRaven987, slytherin chick, Sweetdeath04, Grim Reaper's Assistant, Huggles4All, dancerrdw, I AM EOWYN, NinitademiBrooke, Orient Fox, Eponine Weasley, and last, but certainly NOT least, the fabulous suckr4romance!
Now, I have a sort of problem. I'm traveling to Canada with my Girl Scout troop on Monday, and I won't be back until late Friday night. All day Saturday, I may possibly be at a major league baseball game with the summer jazz band I belong to, because we have a gig there. Thus, depending on how much I get done on Chapter 8 today and tomorrow, I am not sure when I'll be able to get Chapter 8 up. It'll probably not be Saturday, but if we get home too late on Friday from Canada and I don't go to the game, there is a slight chance you will see the usual update. Otherwise, I'll post ASAP after Saturday...perhaps Sunday or even Monday. Again, I apologize for this. Just keep on a lookout in your email if you have me on your Author Alert list!
If anyone would like to read a slightly angsty, VERY well-written fiction that is a romance of sorts, try ladyro7's "Icicles in My Heart." It's a GREAT story, but unfortunately has little in the way of reviews...
Now, without further ado, I present you...Chapter 7, The Seduction of Cassandra !
"Indeed. Now, unless you close your mouth in the next 5 seconds, I really will have to..."
"Have to what?" I asked slyly.
"Do this," he sighed, conjuring a cloth gag and, with a wave of his wand, tying it tightly across my mouth.
"Mmmfff!" I made a loud sound of protest.
"Sorry, couldn't catch what you were saying," Draco sniggered. "Please speak up."
Luckily, I had been fingering my wand the whole time, and quickly removed the gag by whispering a simple spell.
"I said that I don't feel comfortable sitting in a dark room with you, unable to utter a single word or shout for help." I restored the light to the room and looked at Draco with an expression of slight interest. "Do continue."
"It was a dark and stormy night," he repeated, this time without any special sound effects, "when...
"The handsome, muscular young man strutted down the corridor, running a hand through silky blonde locks that witches always moaned with desire to feel beneath their fingers..."
"Please refrain from sharing with me a wonderful example of your over-inflated ego."
"The last time I checked, Draco Malfoy, not Hermione Granger, was telling this story. And I could share much worse things with you..."
"His piercing silver eyes glanced over to a shadowy corner- the rendezvous spot for the young Pureblood and his challenge for that night."
"You sound like a ginormous pimp."
"A good-looking ginormous pimp, nevertheless."
"Unfortunately, the black-haired beauty was not in the designated meeting spot. Draco furrowed his brow elegantly. There was no way it could have slipped her mind, for he had cornered her three hours previously and whispered most seductively, "Meet me near the statue of Confudus the Constipated at 11 o'clock if you want to be ravished."
"You did NOT say that," I gasped through uncontrollable giggles. "No wonder she didn't come. Who would want to be ravished by Draco Malfoy?"
"That was an uncalled-for remark."
"Sorry."
"Actually, the dead sexy Slytherin whispered most seductively something along the lines of, "Meet me near the statue of Confudus the Constipated at 11 o'clock if you would like to have a little 'fun.'"
"And before you say anything, remember that you can't disagree with the dead sexy description. I heard you with my own two ears..."
"I wasn't going to say anything at all." I blushed violently.
"Hmpph. Quite unusual for you. Does it hurt, keeping your mouth shut for more than 2 minutes?"
I chose not to give him the dignity of a reply.
"Very well then. I ought to continue, I reckon..."
"After a few minutes Draco started to grow impatient. No witch (except for Gryffindors, Ravenclaws, and Hufflepuffs) ever resisted his advances."
"Cassandra is a Gryffindor."
"Thanks for pointing out the obvious."
"Even though his sharp mind knew that Cassandra was indeed a Gryffindor..."
"What sharp mind?" I yawned. "Could you please skip ahead to the action? My stomach is growling rather ferociously."
Draco grabbed the banana nut muffin out of my hand ferociously. "Have patience. We will eat LATER, after I finish my story. And control those hands of yours, for Merlin's sake!"
"I can't."
"Excuse me?" Did I just hear the great Hermione Granger say that she can't do something?"
"Yes." I bowed my head shamefully. "It may come as a shock, but I am a normal, living, breathing, mortal female who has flaws like everyone else."
"Let's see: extreme bossiness, overperfectionism, a lack of a sense of humor, excessively bushy hair.."
"There's really no need to list them all," I said calmly, but inside I was seething. How dare he!
"Now, are you going to keep those hands on your lap, or will I have to HOLD THEM?" Draco smirked.
For yet a second time, I chose not to give him the dignity of a reply.
"Finally, just as young Draco was about to give up all hope- and mind you, that did not occur on a frequent basis- the sexy-as-heck witch sauntered seductively into the room, her cold blue eyes, well, COLD."
"That last line was most creative."
"I'm not aiming for a Nobel Prize in Literature, you know." Draco's nostrils flared in a way reminiscent of Professor McGonagall.
"Cassandra," Draco said huskily, tucking a long strand of glossy black hair behind her ear, "I would really like to get to know you better."
'"Your reputation precedes you, Mr. Malfoy." The Ice Princess said coolly, putting her perfectly manicured hand on her slim hip."
"You should have felt right at ease, Draco. You were in the company of a fellow manicure-receiver!"
"What reputation?" the extremely wealthy young man furrowed his brow in confusion."
"What reputation?' I echoed, before falling into hysterical laughter, only stopping my glee when I began to hyperventilate from lack of air.
"You're a damn good kisser, or so I've heard from reliable sources," she continued. "But you are very particular in the witches that you choose- choose and then throw away like a dirty rag. And though I am certainly flattered that I am one of the select few, and you are fairly sexy, with a lean, muscular body, silky blonde hair that falls just the right way into your piercing silver eyes, and a knee-weakening smile...""
"Wait, wait, wait. Back up a second. Is she talking about you?" I snorted incredulously, even though deep down inside I knew it was all true.
'"...I'm afraid that I cannot have relations of the sexual nature with you."'
"Blimey, she really is a prostitute! Assuming that you two would shag after knowing each other for a total of 26 hours..."
"However, I can do this..."
"Are you the one seducing her, or is it the other way around?" I asked curiously.
"Cassandra leaned forward until she was literally falling out of her low-cut jumper, giving Draco a really, really, REALLY nice look at her quite ample chest."
"Ugh. Men. How disgusting."
"You wouldn't like me to look down your shirt?"
That was the final straw. "I am sick and tired of your lewd, crude, and socially unacceptable comments!" I cried dramatically. "Just STOP! No, I do NOT want you to look down my shirt, nor do I want you to hold my hands, nor do I want you to snog the hell out of my mouth in an effort to keep it shut. Do you understand?"
Draco just stared incredulously at me, his mouth gaping wordlessly like a fish.
"What an IDIOT," I groaned. "Why, why, WHY in Merlin do I have to rely on DRACO MALFOY to save my love life or lack thereof?" I reached for my satchel, hopped up, and tried frantically to open the door. It was locked. "Alohomora!" I snapped, my spell unfortunately having no effect whatsoever on the condition of the door.
"The door won't open," the sexy beast (whoops! I did NOT just say that!) smiled calmly.
"I don't care if you have to stand here in nothing but your knickers and profess your undying love for Professor Snape," I hissed, blushing when the yummy image of Draco in nothing but his boxers popped into my head. "Make the bloody door open. NOW."
"The door won't open," he repeated, propping his feet up on the table. "Until I am finished. Now, I believe it would be best if you would sit down and make yourself comfortable once again, for there is still more to my story."
"I don't bloody want to HEAR IT!" I screamed.
"You're lucky I put a Silencing Charm on this room. Or else you would've woken up about half the castle by now."
"You're lucky you just Accio-ed my wand from me," I snarled, "Or else you would quickly find yourself a victim of the Bat-Bogey Hex that Ginny has so kindly taught me. On second thought, I reckon I can take you on with my bare hands."
"I know what you're up to, Malfoy," the witch said silkily in the deadliest of whispers. And with that, she nibbled on a shocked and very pale Draco's ear and pressed a cold kiss to his lips. Without another word, she faded back into the shadows, leaving a disappointed and handsome wizard behind."
"Last time I trust you to help me," I sighed.
"I tried. And that's what's important." Draco said softly.
"What's important is that you made no progress WHATSOEVER," I grumbled.
"There is another way..."
"Please enlighten me..."
"Now, I do not think you'll like this one..."
"You're bloody right I won't like this one," I growled, finally taking a bite out of a blueberry muffin without Draco snatching it away.
"Trust me. It will work. I am a guy. I know these things." He inhaled a strawberry danish.
"You're saying I need to make Ron jealous by finding a sexy bloke to passionately kiss me right before his big blue eyes?"
"Yes."
"My lips are reserved for Ronald Weasley, and Ronald Weasley alone. End of discussion."
"Ah, come on, Hermione. Do you want to keep Ron or not?"
"Perhaps the situation isn't as dire as we believe," I mused, sipping my pumpkin juice.
"Perhaps you can't afford to wait and see if it is."
He had a good point. Who knew what Cassandra would try next? But still...
"Well, what bloke are you thinking of?" I asked tentatively.
"Someone who doesn't have a girlfriend. Someone whose lips you wouldn't feel repulsed to have on your own. Someone who Ron despises SO much that he would surely believe that it was a one-sided kiss and you were not at fault at all. Someone...like me."
"Bad night, Hermione?" Harry patted my arm sympathetically as I took a seat between him and Ron at breakfast.
"You could say that," I mumbled. "Although bad day, bad week, bad month, bad year, bad life, bad EXISTENCE would be more accurate."
"Someone's in a testy mood this morning." Ginny piled an unhealthy amount of sausages on her plate and dug in. I literally gagged at the sight. I had devoured much too much breakfast in the Room of Requirement after hearing Draco's disturbing plan in an effort to forget about it, and my stomach was now desperately begging for mercy.
"Crumpet?" Harry offered me one.
"No-no thank you. I'm not feeling too well."
"Well, don't look now, but I think something has arrived that will make you feel MUCH worse." Cass-Ass, obviously.
"Good morning, Ron and Harry. Hermione, where in Merlin were you this morning? I arose at 5 AM to take my shower and you were already out of bed!" she trilled. "I was worried about you. I mean, we are roommates now. And roommates HAVE to look out for each other. Were you ill?" she simply gushed.
Ginny looked like she was on the verge of giving Harry a present of a mouthful of half-chewed sausage as she tried very hard not to explode with laugher. Harry himself was snickering under his breath. Ron, on the other hand, was watching her with a rapt expression on his handsome face, living for each word that she breathed out of her perfectly red lips.
"I was at the library," I muttered, blanching when I realized just what the Barbie was attired in: a scrap of navy plaid that I was positive did not meet an eighth of the length requirement for our uniform skirts, and a blouse magically shrunk so that it fit like a second skin. I looked ruefully at my knee-length skirt and modest yet stylish top.
I jumped about ten feet in the air when Ron poked me hard in the side.
"Cassandra asked you a question." He raised a reddish eyebrow at me. "Aren't you going to answer her?"
'You obviously didn't hear me over your ragged breath and loud panting that began after seeing her outfit for today.'
"I said LIBRARY," I snapped. "I was finishing my Charms essay. I fell asleep last night halfway through composing it."
"Oh, perhaps we can compare essays at the beginning of class? I heard that you are an excellent writer, 'Mione. Is it okay if I call you that? Anyway, I believe that it would inspire me on future assignments if I could have but one look at your hard work."
"Where are you going?" Ron looked at me quizzically as I jumped up like someone had told me that Voldemort was currentlyhidingunder the table, looking up my skirt.
"The loo," I called back, as I sped up my steps and began my search for Draco.
A/N: Now, please don't be worried that Hermione and Draco will passionately snog...if anything happens, it will be one-sided and completely fake in an effort to make Ron jealous, seething mad at Draco, and very over-protective of Hermione. This WILL NOT turn into a Draco/Hermione romance. If anything romantic happens between those two (holding hands, etc.) it won't even be considered "truly"romantic...it justwill be JUST FOR THE SAKE OF THE PLAN. Nothing more, nothing less. Hermione loves Ron, and although Draco is as sexy as heck, she's loyal to Ron. So do not be afraid!